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A Winning Combination: High‐Tech Metering Advances Deliver Widespread Benefits
Author(s) -
Johnson Rodney,
Ishac Saad,
Field Darrel
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
opflow
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1551-8701
pISSN - 0149-8029
DOI - 10.1002/j.1551-8701.2009.tb02981.x
Subject(s) - automatic meter reading , sewerage , process (computing) , customer base , computer science , government (linguistics) , engineering management , process management , computer security , business , telecommunications , engineering , wireless , marketing , operating system , linguistics , philosophy , waste management
This article discusses an effort by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) to implement an advanced metering infrastructure, meter data management, and a workforce management (WFM) system to deal with significant infrastructure challenges, increasing regulatory requirements, competitive pressures, and demanding customers. The article provides a brief overview of the DWSD, along with both drive‐by and fixed‐base automatic meter reading (AMR) systems. Various measures are discussed that DWSD used to ease the transition with its customers including a community relations program, and the following technical aspects: meter interface units (MIUs) and cell collection units (CCUs); fixed network application server (FNAS); customer billing and management system (CBMS); and, workforce management (WFM) system. Business process enhancements gained by the installation of the AMI/MDM and WFM systems are listed, along with security and leak detection measures, and consumption patterns.