New Electronic Billing Meter Standards Shocking Utilities ...

North American Water Loss Conference

2017

New Electronic Billing Meter Standards

Shocking Utilities & Customers

Veolia North America December 4, 2017

Draft and commercial in confidence

Purpose of today’s presentation

▪ Electronic Billing Meters C715 –DRAFT under review by Standards Council & Public Review

▪ How electronic meters work & challenges they can address

▪ What to learn and what to unlearn –challenges to meter operations & customer relations

▪ Challenges & opportunities

Overview

Setting the Stage

Impacts on Meter Operations

Summary

Tuesday, December 19, 2017 LADWP Operating Efficiencies PAGE 3


Drivers for Electronic Metering

•Water/wastewater service costs rising at substantial rates

•Resource scarcity•Customer usage patterns changing

•Cut backs in staffing & higher labor costs. Retirement of skilled field staff

•More sensitivity to looking at total whole life costs of ownership (acquisition, installation, maintenance, revenue performance etc.)

Overview

•Alignment of meter life with reading automation technology life – single site maintenance visit.

In Search of Measurement Nirvana



Electronic Revenue Meter Standard – AWWA C715

2016 - Subcommittee completed first ballot-ready draft for Meter Standards Committee action

3

2011-AWWA Standards Council authorized development of standard

1

2012 - Subcommittee of Meter Standards Committee formed to draft contents – Don Faber Chair

2

2017 - Meter Standards Committee – reached consensus for further action

4

Overview

2017 - AWWA Standards Council review & Public Comment (due 11/13/17)

5



Series of Ballots to Refine Standards Document

Sub-committee discussion –Accept, Modify, Reject, Override

Standard language drafted by subcommittee

Reviewed by Committee Members – Accept, Modify or Reject (Propose changes)

Standards Members – Accept, Withdraw, Reject. Committee has final say on negative ballots

Overview



Major Items in the Draft Standard

Partial List -Manufacturersw/Electronic Meters

Honeywell (AMCO/Elster)

Badger Meter

Diehl

Mueller

Kamstrup

Master Meter

Metron Farnier

Neptune

Sensus

Zenner

Two accuracy levels. Type 1 - for very low flows; Type 2 - similar to mechanical meters.

Definitions – mostly unique to electronic meters

Ability to handle ambient & water temps up to 150°F

Laying lengths - threaded ends as PD meter standards; flange end same as turbine standards.

Normal flow limits accuracy range remains at 98.5% to 101.5%.

Low flow rate accuracy range 95% to 105%. Current PD is 101%.

Requires full pipe to operate properly. Register will indicate empty or partially filled pipe

Overview



Flow Rate & Accuracy Improvements For Type I - 1” & SmallerOverview

75% to 80% earlier start in normal test flow range

56% to 70% reduction in Min Test Flow Rate

Narrower gap between low & normal flow accuracy

Same Safe Max Operating Capacity but no restriction on usage at this flow rate (10% of usage or 2 hours/24 hour period)

33% less allowable head loss



Flow Rate & Accuracy Improvements For Type I - 1 1/2”-8”Overview

Same Safe Max Operating Capacity as PD for 1 ½” & 2” and Compound for 3” through 8”; lower than Turbine Class II.

No Max Continuous Flow rating restriction

Normal test flow range starts earlier compared to PD & Turbine, but not Compound

Better accuracy at lower flow rates for PD & Turbine, but not Compound

Lower head loss for PD and Compound, but not Turbine



Next Steps to Finalize Standard C715

Standards Council balloting ended 10/10/17

Public Review comment period concluded 11/13/17

Number of comments received; under review by C-715 & Meter Standards Chairs to determine approach for resolution

Might push out process couple of months

AWWA Board of Directors approval vote scheduled for January 2018

Standard published 1st or 2nd quarter 2018

Substantive technical changes - returned to Meters Standards Committee for action. Must then go through another round of Standards Council and Public Review.

Overview



How Electronic Meters Work – Mag Meter Type

Employs Faraday’s Law of magnetic induction to sense the flow of water

Flow of conductive liquid (water)

Through a magnetic field

Causes a voltage signal

Sensed by electrodes located on the flow tube walls

iPerl, Accumag, HbMag, Tru/Mag, ModMag

Setting the Stage

No one said Science would be involved in this presentation



How Electronic Meters Work - Ultrasonic Type

Uses sound waves to determine the velocity of water flowing through a pipe

Sends & receives ultrasonic waves between transducers

Upstream & downstream in the pipe

No flow – same time between transducers

With flow – upstream waves slower than downstream. Time increases with velocity

E-Series, Octave, flowIQ2100, Diehl, MACH 10, Sonata

Setting the Stage

More Science – Doppler Effect Sound has shorter or longer wavelengths depending on

location of the source



Problems Solved & New Challenges Created

Flow restrictions – nearly open pipe, slight reduction for electronics

Need customer profile information to better determine size and type selection

Sampling rate – mag; frequency at which charges are passed between electrodes

Sampling loop – ultrasonic; frequency at which sound waves are passed between transducers

Starting flow – flow rate at which meter begins recording consumption. Flow below starting rate is entirely missed. Accuracy rate can vary.

Battery life – 2” & smaller typically 20 years; not replaceable. 3” & larger 6 to 10 years depending on size. Some models have replaceable batteries

Maintenance – No parts within meter can be maintained. Replace meter when battery is depleted. Clean off sensors if scale develops. No interchangeability of electronic registers

Setting the Stage




Installation – need to follow manufacturer’s instructions. Impacts accuracy & warranty

Five pipe diameters upstream; two downstream.

Empty pipe -keep the pipe full. Slugs of air will cause inaccurate readings.

Reduce turbulence - can use strainers to reduce pipe diameters –check with manufacturer.

Very few problems caused by pipe vibration.

Setting the Stage




No accuracy degradation like mechanical meters. Testing issues:

Frequency of testing unknown & not comparable to mechanical meters

Flow rates extremely low and bench or field equipment might be less capable of testing accurately

Follow manufacturers’ recommendations

Testing process can be rather long to ensure accurate test

Meter Standards Committee plans to send out supplemental guidelines as M6 revisions not due till 2019

Meter setting conditions need consideration in determining field or bench testing is best approach

Don’t know what we don’t know. Experiences might not translate from one utility to another.

Setting the Stage



New Utility Challenges for Deploying Electronic Meters

Challenges

• No AWWA standard to guide utilities– draft approved by Meter Standards Committee

• When battery dies, meter must be replaced. Last reading held.

– Impacts deployment strategy. Coordinate timing with AMR system.

• Larger meters may have non-US laying lengths-need spool piece. Adds to purchase & install costs

• Since no strainers needed to protect measuring element – no downstream protection of other utility or customer equipment; need to decide about strainer use

• Not all manufacturer’s have full product line for all sizes or mix measurement technologies (ultrasonic for some sizes and mag for other)

• Testing protocols can be extremely long & at different flow rates than mechanical meters

• Might not have UL or FM ratings for fire applications/need to address strainer issues

Meter Ops Impacts



New Utility Challenges for Deploying Electronic Meters

Challenges

• Most test benches cannot verify ultra low flow accuracy claims

– Difficult to enforce accuracy warranties

– Very long time to verify ultra low flow accuracy

• No test plug in meter body - Need downstream test T in spool if want to field test

• Register built in so no interchangeable parts

• Sensitive to meter setting configuration – need to follow manufacturer instructions

• Carefully review warranties for battery & accuracy provisions

• All features of electronic registers might not be compatible with every manufacturers’ AMR/AMI system

– Might limit which meters can be used

– Might require more manual procedures for detecting problems

• For Type I electronic meters, allowance of up to 105% accuracy at minimum flow rates might be a PR challenge for billing disputes

Meter Ops Impacts



Customer profiling data exposes potential meter selection & performance issues

17

LOGGING CHARACTERISTICSMeter: 90154239Meter size: 6”Meter type: CompoundPremise: Office BuildingAddress: 800 W 6TH ST, Los Angeles, CA, 90017Date: 8/11 – 8/17

- Peak flow: 57.78 GPM- Average flow: 6.91 GPM- 75% of volume & 32% of time in cross over range- Meter rated up to 2000 gpm

Meter Ops Impacts


New testing protocols along with customer profiling found cross over performance issues & revenue gain opportunities

Type 3” 4” 6” 8” 10”

Compound 100% 100% 99%

Fire 98% 99% 99%

Turbine 100% 96% 99% 100% 98%

Accuracy of 188 Meters Tested Using Old Protocols & Arithmetic Averages

Accuracy of 123 Meters Using New Protocols & Data Logging Weights

Type 3” 4” 6” 8” 10”

Compound 94% 95% 95%

Fire 94% 95%

Turbine 98% 98% 94% 98%

Old protocols - .2% annual accuracy degradation

New protocols & logging - 1.15% annual degradation

Target only under performing meters Replace 1,200 meters - $23 million

annually

Meter Ops Impacts



Impacts on Utility Operations

Address meter “inflation” issues

Size of meters are increasing as usage and flow rates of usage are declining (Residential End Uses of Water V2)

More capital being used than needed (current & future replacement costs)

Loss of revenue (leaks, low flows, accuracy degradation)

Impact on future growth if hydraulic equivalent of meter is used to allocate available water resource

Used with permission from Craig Hanna, Johnson Controls

Meter Ops Impacts



New opportunities & new challenges

What problems does the technology solve for you? What new issues does it create that must be addressed?

New knowledge needed to optimize application

What is that knowledge & how do I get it?

Learn from others, but learn from your own applications.

Structure research projects.

“As built” different than AWWA Standards

Carefully read all technical information to understand benefits & challenges

Summary



New opportunities & new challenges

No measurement technology is universal. Use the right technology in the right application.

Usage patterns, mechanical wear, and water quality are major drivers that impact accuracy and revenues

Usage patterns at accounts can change. Be aware when changes occur.

Design, materials, manufacturing does matter

Know and understand your cost drivers. Whole life cost of ownership might help determine best value

Will performance = promise?

Summary

North American Water Loss Conference

2017

New Electronic Billing Meter Standards

Shocking Utilities & CustomersKenneth Molli, Director, Metering Initiatives

Veolia North America

[email protected]

312.316.7020

New Electronic Billing Meter Standards Shocking Utilities ...

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