City hears proposal to upgrade to cellular AMI water meters, software and leak sensors

United Systems and Software representatives told the Crossville City Council at a work session that the city’s roughly 17‑year‑old drive‑by water meter reading system is due for an upgrade and outlined a path to cellular AMI (advanced metering infrastructure).

The company’s senior account manager in Tennessee, Kyle Dearing, and Director of Sales Will Taylor described a tiered approach: migrate the current meter‑reading software to a web‑based platform (referred to in the presentation as “Temetra”), add cellular endpoints to some meters so readings update multiple times per day, and optionally deploy acoustic leak sensors on mains. The presenters said the proposed cellular endpoint supports over‑the‑air firmware updates, is 5G‑ready, and has a 20‑year battery life. “My name is Kyle Dearing. I’m with United Systems and Software. I’m the senior account manager here in Tennessee,” Dearing told council members during the presentation.

The company said the software portal would let the city and customers view consumption by hour and down to 15‑minute intervals, set alarms for suspected leaks and retain five years of usage data. Staff would see dashboards that flag “no comms” devices and a “suspicious” category for high or continuous usage, enabling earlier leak notification. United Systems representatives used case studies — including Lafayette and Murfreesboro utilities — to illustrate reduced non‑revenue water after deployment and faster leak detection.

Presenters described deployment options designed to limit upfront capital: the city can migrate to the new software and continue to use existing drive‑by endpoints while adding cellular endpoints on a chosen schedule. They presented per‑device cellular service tiers that fall with scale and said a rate of roughly $0.46 per meter per month can be locked if the city places a system‑wide order that is held for up to three years; United Systems said the per‑meter cellular fee starts higher for small pilots and declines as more endpoints are deployed. The presenters also identified a one‑time software and setup item in their materials (presented in the packet as roughly $308,000 for software, training and setup) and unit pricing that would be locked for a limited term.

City staff and the vendor discussed compatibility with existing meters and connectors. United Systems said the Itron connector used on the city’s larger meters is compatible with the proposed cellular endpoint and that some meters already in the system could be retained to avoid replacing expensive large meters immediately. The vendor recommended phased meter replacement timed with remaining warranty life and meter age.

Staff noted there is $350,000 in the city’s current budget to begin the project over a four‑year rollout. Council members asked about operational impacts — meter‑reader jobs, vehicle use, and cybersecurity. United Systems said meter‑reader positions typically shift from drive‑by reading to field investigations and data analysis, and that cellular endpoints employ 256‑bit encryption and are configured so only the utility (not the public) can access the meter data.

Council members and staff asked follow‑up questions on scope and cost. No formal vote or contract award occurred at the session; presenters and staff agreed the city can move forward with planning and phased deployment options.

Crossville staff will return with recommended scope, phasing and financing options for council consideration, and vendor materials remain available in the packet for review.