Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project

Project Overview

The City of Santa Monica is deploying Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) water meters, or advanced meters, for all water customers to enhance service and provide customers with real time information about their water usage, billing, and leak detection.

The AMI program is just one of the many investments the City is making to reduce our reliance on costly imported water supplies and maintain an affordable, sustainable, and drought resilient local water supply.

The City will be deploying the Badger cellular AMI system for the City's 18,000+ water service connections. Badger has subcontracted with Concord Utility Services, who will be performing the field installation. The project includes:

• Conducting a service line material survey on 100% of the meter sites (supporting the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions).
• Replacing or retrofitting water meters to be AMI compatible.
• Installing cellular AMI transmitters on the water meter.
• Replacing or modifying meter box lids to allow for signal transmission.
• Integrating AMI data into the City's systems.
• Implementing a customer portal to improve the customer's experience, provide them with insights into their daily water usage, and alert them if a water leak is detected. 

The new system will provide 15-minute interval usage information to customers through the customer portal that is transmitted up to four times per day. Customers will no longer have to wait until the end of the bi-monthly billing cycle to see this information on their bill.

With the new advanced meters, customers may avoid unexpectedly high utility bills and make more informed budgeting decisions. Also, the new meters will allow the City to enhance customer service, including leak alerts and quicker response to bill inquiries, re-reads, and service requests. 

Advanced meter installations are expected to start summer of 2023 and will take approximately two years to complete. 

Key Project Benefits

• Advanced meters offer customers more information about their water use.

o  Advanced meters allow customers to see how much water they use each day, in 15-minute interval increments, instead of just bi-monthly totals, as with current meters and billing process.

o  Customers may access their water usage information on their computer or smart phone by means of the customer portal and associated app.

• Advanced meters may reduce unexpected high utility bills and help customers to make informed decisions when planning their utility budgets.

o  Water meters provide the data to notify customers of unusual high-water usage as soon as identified. Currently, it may take up to two months for a customer to be aware of an out-of-the-ordinary high bill.

o  Customers can budget how much they want to consume and/or spend each month on water, and timely data from the meters will let them see how close they are to the budgeted amount.

o  If water use is outside the normal average daily range for a customer, they can receive a notification if they sign-up for text or email notifications. This change could indicate a significant leak, irrigation issue, or household appliance malfunction.

• Enhanced customer service with advanced meters. 

o  More utility and billing issues can be resolved using information available in the customer portal or with assistance from a Customer Service representative over the phone without having to wait for field staff to make a service call.

o  Using new self-service functions on the web site, app, and alert capabilities, customers can access information at their convenience 24/7.

Project Links

Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project Summary

Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project FAQ

Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project Brochure

Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project Summary En Espanol