EMWD received the honor at a conference in Dallas, TX, which focused on advanced metering technology for water, gas, and electricity customers throughout the nation.

Earlier this year, EMWD expedited its meter technology upgrade and is actively converting more than 1,000 manually read meters to smart meters each month. It is projected every meter within EMWD’s 555-square mile service area will be a smart meter by mid-2019.

Smart meters are a vital tool toward water savings and increased operational efficiencies. The meters send hourly usage reports to EMWD and can help identify if there is a potential leak at a property through prolonged water usage.

Since February 2016, EMWD has notified more than 12,000 customers of potential leaks. More than 95-percent of customers took corrective action and no longer show continuous water usage patterns. Customers are notified through their preferred method of communication – email, text, or phone call.

“EMWD is appreciative of Sensus for this honor,” EMWD Board President David Slawson said. “Our organizations have worked together to use available technology to assist our customers in reducing water waste. The overwhelmingly positive customer feedback has affirmed how valuable this program is to our ratepayers.”

The new meter technology will eventually allow customers to use a portal to monitor their usage in real time, project monthly bills, and identify if there are potential leaks at their properties.

EMWD will also achieve long-term cost savings through the meter upgrades. By transitioning to automated meters, EMWD is avoiding driving nearly 170,000 miles per year to read meters manually. That is the equivalent of driving cross-country almost 60 times. It also helps save in fuel costs, reduces the need for fleet vehicles dedicated solely toward meter-reading activities and reduces EMWD’s carbon footprint.