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Maumee staff urges urgent meter replacements after repeated AMI telemetry failures
Summary
Committee heard staff describe repeated telemetry failures and degraded vendor support from Mueller that risk loss of automatic reads; staff recommended pursuing replacement (Master Meter/Harmony cited), checking cooperative procurement (Sourcewell), updating quotes (tariffs raised earlier estimates) and preparing contingency plans tied to EPA lead inspection requirements.
Maumee’s finance committee discussed an urgent program to replace aging automated meter infrastructure after city staff described ongoing communication failures, slow vendor support and the risk the current provider could discontinue AMI service.
Dustin, the service director introduced in the packet narrative, told the committee the meters themselves continue to measure usage accurately but the AMI telemetry often fails to transmit reads because of damaged nodes/batteries and problematic software updates. “If they eliminate the AMI system, we no longer will get any single reads in,” he said, describing days or weeks of missed reads when repeaters or collectors fail.
Staff described operational consequences if the vendor (Mueller) scales back AMI support: the city could be forced to revert to manual or drive‑by reads, run imperfect billing estimates, or develop a population self‑reporting database as a stopgap — each option would add staff time and customer inconvenience. Dustin also flagged recent reporting that Mueller’s CEO sold a substantial amount of stock, which staff said raised additional concern about the vendor’s stability.
Alternatives and procurement: staff reported piloting or running Master Meter devices with the Harmony reading system in other installations and said that company’s package includes a resident portal and photo‑documented meter swaps. Procurement questions focused on whether the city must competitively bid or can use a Sourcewell cooperative purchase; staff said Sourcewell membership could allow direct purchase but advised further legal/procurement review.
Costs and timing: committee members revisited a prior June estimate of roughly $3 million; staff explained a March quote plus a later 7% tariff added to pricing and said they will seek a revised quote from the vendor representative (Ferguson). Installation was estimated at about six months from start; staff suggested a spring start with completion by 2026 if budget approval occurs. Dustin also said the replacing vendor can handle resident outreach and most installation tasks, limiting city hands‑on work.
Other considerations: staff noted meter replacement work could be coordinated with required EPA lead service‑line inspections and reporting due by 2027, yielding combined operational benefit and photo‑documented compliance records.
What happens next: no formal vote occurred; staff was directed to request updated pricing, confirm procurement options (including Sourcewell), and include meter replacement and contingency planning in next year’s budget cycle.
