Council hears multi-million-dollar plan to replace aging cast‑iron mains and install AMI meters

Belton City staff presented a multilayer plan to address aging distribution infrastructure and to modernize metering during the council meeting.

Public Works and Utilities staff described widespread cast-iron mains—many installed between the 1940s and 1960s—that are past typical service life and prone to leaks and breaks. Staff identified priority replacement zones and estimated the cost to replace cast-iron mains in the higher-priority zones (zones 4 through 18) at approximately $35 million. The city previously completed several targeted mains and has funding and projects scheduled in the FY2026 budget.

Staff also described advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) as the modern replacement for the city’s existing metering and automatic meter-reading system. The AMI proposal presented includes new meters, endpoints and remotely controlled shutoff switches. Staff presented two broad cost categories: system back-office, communications towers and program setup (approximately $733,000) and in‑pit equipment (meters, endpoints and switches) at an estimated $7.2 million; the full “Cadillac” option was summarized at roughly $8 million. The vendor’s maintenance fee was noted at $1.51 per meter per month.

Financing options discussed included Missouri Department of Natural Resources State Revolving Fund (SRF) loans. Staff presented amortization estimates indicating SRF financing could be materially cheaper than recent bond rates, with an estimated savings of about $10.7 million in interest over 20 years if SRF financing is used for the water-main program. The city’s finance staff also said the FY2026 budget and capital-improvement sales-tax receipts create near-term cash availability and that SRF repayments would not necessarily begin until project completion (staff estimated repayment to start around 2029–2030), allowing the city some timing flexibility.

Council and staff discussed operational effects of AMI, including earlier leak detection, customer alerts, reduced unbilled water losses and the convenience of remote shutoff for nonpay or safety events. Staff said battery life on metering endpoints is an important long-term maintenance consideration (batteries are sealed; full replacement requires swapping units) and that AMI vendors typically include device maintenance under their service agreements. Councilors asked whether the AMI project could reduce household bills by catching leaks earlier; staff answered yes, noting the city both purchases water and bills sewer based on measured consumption, so reducing unbilled losses affects both city cost and customer charges.

Council consensus was to direct staff to return with detailed numbers: a recommended implementation timeline, SRF financing plan, detailed cost-benefit calculations (including estimated avoided water purchases and staff-savings), and liability/maintenance terms with the vendor. Staff noted prior voter authorization for capital work and that earlier partial projects had been completed in previous fiscal years.