Advanced Metering Infrastructure, or AMI, has become something of a buzzword in the water sector in recent years, and it is increasingly being used by water utilities under pressure to boost efficiency.
With recent developments in AMI technology, it’s easy to see why.
What is Advanced Metering Infrastructure, and what will it do?
Advanced Metering Infrastructure, or AMI, has been meaningful within the water business in recent years, and it’s progressively getting used by water systems under pressure to reinforce efficiency.
In step with the North American nation Department of Energy, advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is an integrated system of equipment, connectivity and management systems that modify utilities to gather shopper water use data in real-time remotely.
Water meters are browsed by AMI using radio-based technology, which removes the requirement for human readings.
AMI technology can link each part of a water utility and use the info to enhance operations, administration and infrastructure.
It allows water meters to broadcast water use data simply 4 to 6 times every day, as needed.
Radio or cellular technologies are utilized in this wireless connection.
Components of AMI water meter technology
1- A water meter is a piece of technology that counts what quantity of water is consumed at every site.
2- Water use is regenerated into electronic information by an encoder register, that is coupled to the meter.
3- This tiny transmitter, which is put outside a building, delivers encrypted water use data to WSSC Water.
Water Meter Types Frequently Used in AMI Systems
Smart meters send measurements to utilities for processing, analysis and transmission to customers for billing, energy feedback, and time-based prices.
Remote connect/disconnect, tamper detection, outage tracking, voltage monitoring and bidirectional electricity measuring are all features of smart meters.
Ultrasonic flow meters are other meters used to detect the velocity of a fluid moving through a pipe using ultrasonic technology.
Transit time technology determines the flow rate by measuring the time difference between signals sent upstream and downstream, and the transmitter analyses signals from the transmitted sound wave frequency reflected off of gas bubbles or particles.
How does advanced metering Infrastructure work?
Meters notice the flow to a customer connection, and therefore the MIU takes a hardwired signal from the meter, converts it to a low value, stores it, then wirelessly transmits it to the management system.
Mechanical and solid-state meters are typically used.
Pressure monitors, temperature sensors, sound sensors, and water quality monitors are all common mixtures of those meters.
The data management system receives the data, which is often incorporated into the utility’s SCADA system.
From the information management system, a utility will switch off or on water service at a consumer connection.
What AMI can provide?
AMI Meters will Alert You about Leaks in Real Time
The AMI program of San Jose Water (SJW) is concentrated on water saving.
Customers may get around-the-clock readings and be alerted to abnormalities that would signal a leak by replacing standard water meters with information-centric AMI meters.
Users may notice changes in water use as they occur and track long patterns due to period data access over the Internet.
Imagine being at work and receiving a text message informing you that your empty house leaks.
A prompt resolution to the present problem will conserve water while also preventing water harm to your property.
Because of a faulty irrigation timer, your pumps are also turned on every day rather than twice a week.
You don’t need to stay up for a bi-monthly statement or physically scan your meter to identify uncommon consumption.
AMI Meters Support Customers in Meeting Local Regulations
customers will monitor their water consumption and adapt it to match their demands thanks to AMI meters.
Customers could better manage their water consumption with this information.
AMI Meters Aid Conservation Efforts by Customers
Additionally, to local water consumption laws and limitations, several water-conscious customers set their own conservation goals.
Personal budgets and conservation objectives are austere in line with AMI meters.
AMI meters additionally enable interested consumers to experiment and find out how different behaviors affect water use.
Is it necessary to know how much water your irrigation system consumes?
Simple! On the internet, you may monitor your water consumption before and after your pumps run in the middle of the night.
If you wish to stay within a particular water rate tier, AMI meters are very useful.
AMI meters make service more efficient
AMI meters modify customers to get quicker and more efficient service.
Customers could become active participants by contacting SJW with any water consumption issues as they arise as they need complete access to their water usage information twenty-four hours a day.
This eliminates the {requirement} to attend until the next bi-monthly bill to spot a problem.
Furthermore, as a result of water use data being offered more often, there’s less of a requirement to dispatch a field service investigator to the positioning to read a meter as a result of it being accessible twenty-four hours a day.
These are largely many of how AMI meters modify customers to require management of their water consumption and observe decisions for themselves.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure vs Automatic Meter Reading
AMR (automated meter reading) and AMI (advanced metering infrastructure) are two terms commonly used in the water sector.
They are sometimes confused despite how frequently they are used.
Automatic Meter Reading is a step up from a human approaching a water meter, reading the numbers and writing them down.
Rather, a device pings the meter to obtain a current measurement, which is then utilized to generate a bill.
AMR systems can be walk-by, drive-by, or fixed network, but communication is one-way regardless of how the meter is read.
The meter communicates with the meter-reading device, but the appliance cannot respond with a command.
AMI, on the other hand, provides two-way communication between the utility system and the metering endpoints over a fixed network.
AMR systems have traditionally been concerned with reading meters rapidly and correctly.
These methods are valuable and are still in use today, but many water utilities are discovering that they face obstacles that go beyond merely speed-reading a meter.
Utilities are dealing with several operational challenges, many of which can be resolved through AMI.
Reference
[1] What is advanced metering infrastructure (AMI)? 1 Sep (online) available at: https://www.wwdmag.com/what-articles/what-advanced-metering-infrastructure-ami
[2] Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) (online) available at: https://www.wsscwater.com/ami
[3] Advanced Metering Infrastructure: Drivers and Benefits in the Water Industry, 31 July (online) available at: https://www.watercom/water-utility-management/asset-management/article/16192432/advanced-metering-infrastructure-drivers-and-benefits-in-the-water-industry
[4] Top 4 benefits of AMI meters for water utility customers, 22feb (online) available at: https://www.sjwater.com/our-company/news-media/water-blogged/top-4-benefits-ami-meters-water-utility-customers
