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Water budget highlights meter replacement and AMI system planning; town budgets $705,000 for purchased water
Summary
Town water staff outlined FY2026 budget items including a planned customer meter replacement (AMI/radio read), a projected $705,000 purchased‑water budget, and capital set‑asides for main replacements, tank fall‑protection upgrades and meter pits.
John and other town water staff presented the water budget and capital program. They said personnel costs are set by the finance office and that most operating expenses are for chemicals and consumables. Staff identified several capital items and programs that they said the town is planning or preparing to bid.
A central item is the long‑planned customer meter replacement and automated metering infrastructure (AMI) program. Staff said replacement had been put off until the town finished a multi‑year utility‑billing system upgrade; with the new billing system live for payments, procurement for new meters will go out this year. Staff said the new meters and AMI technology should increase customer access to usage data, enable more rapid leak detection and could support more frequent electronic billing depending on vendor integration. Whether customer access is provided directly through Tyler (the town’s billing system) or via a meter vendor application depends on the chosen system and integration.
Staff said the town budgets purchased water at $705,000 and that Veolia and North Kingstown supply parts of the system. The town purchases water from North Kingstown for portions of the north/west service areas and also receives water from Veolia in other areas, the presenters said. Several capital items were highlighted: a master meter replacement at Route 108, upgrades and fall‑protection replacement on the Kinney Avenue and Point Judith elevated storage tanks (both about 750,000‑gallon elevated tanks in the south end), and fall‑protection work on the north‑end standpipe behind Fire Station 3. Staff said some fall‑protection equipment will be replaced with cable systems that integrate with a harness and clip.
Ending: Water staff said meter replacement procurement will proceed this fiscal year, with the goal of modernizing meters and enabling better leak detection and customer access to data; other capital items will be advanced as bids and designs are finalized.
