Replacing residential water meters in Colfax would cost $82,000
By LeAnn R. Ralph
COLFAX — Replacing 410 residential water meters in Colfax with new “smart” Kamstrup water meters from Dakota Supply Group would cost Colfax $82,075.
The Colfax Village Board reviewed the revised proposal for residential water meters at the November 21 meeting.
Representatives for Dakota Supply Group gave an estimate of $160,000 to the village board’s public works committee in October for replacing all of the water meters in Colfax, both residential and commercial.
The new Kamstrup ultrasonic “smart” water meters with automated meter reading would substantially reduce the amount of time and labor for village employees to read the water meters and mail out water bills.
Public works employees, using an application on a smart phone or a tablet computer, would drive up and down the streets to read the water meters instead of reading each meter manually. The water meter readings would then be uploaded into a computer at the clerk’s office to interface with the village’s billing software.
Under the existing system, Sheila Riemer, deputy clerk-treasurer, manually calculates the usage and then manually enters each number into the computer.
The smart phone/tablet application can read water meters up to 300 feet away.
Because the smart meters start reading water usage almost instantaneously, the leaks in water mains or in residences and businesses, such as dripping faucets or leaking toilets, can be detected right away.
The water meter software also registers the temperature of the water, so public works employees would be able to tell where the water is colder in the winter, and if the temperature drops below a certain point, residents in that section of town can be asked to let the water trickle to prevent water mains from freezing.
During the exceptionally cold winter several years ago, Colfax spent more than $20,000 on thawing water mains.
The computer software for the meters shows 450 days of water usage, so if a village resident questions the water bill, the usage amounts can be pulled up and examined for any changes.
The quote of $160,000 for replacing all of the residential and commercial water meters did not include an additional $37,540 for installation of the meters.
Rand Bates, director of public works, said village employees could install the water meters themselves and save the cost of installation.
The cost of $82,075 includes $4,995 for a “starter kit” for antennas and other equipment that would be installed on the public works utility truck.
The cost of 410 residential water meters at $188 each would be $77,080.
According to information provided by Dakota Supply Group, three-year financing at 3.262 percent interest would result in an annual payment of $29,658. Five-year financing at 3.262 percent interest would result in an annual payment of $18,362. Seven-year financing at an interest rate of 3.263 percent interest would result in an annual payment of $13,530. And nine-year financing at 3.5 percent interest would result in an annual payment of $10,974.
Members of the Colfax Village Board agreed to send the proposal for residential water meters to the public works committee for review and a possible recommendation to the village board.
Other business
In other business, the Colfax Village Board:
• Approved a request from Scott Gunnufson, village president, and Lynn Niggemann, village administrator-clerk-treasurer, to attend the annual meeting of the Dunn County Economic Development Corporation January 17 at the UW-Stout Memorial Student Center. The cost for attending the annual meeting is $40 per person.
• Approved changing the Monday, December 26, meeting to Tuesday, December 27, at 7 p.m.