Pignell to bring meter technicians after repeated meter failures and muddy water at town-served school

PIGNELL, Jan. 29 — Town staff told the Pignell council that the town’s new meter-reading system has been failing to record many meters and that one school building is experiencing recurring brown/muddy water in toilets, prompting the council to direct staff to bring meter technicians on site.

The facilitator opened the item by saying the town’s handhelds and software have not been reliably recording reads. Kelsey and other staff described a change in software and a new handheld screen that requires the operator to stop and push a button at each meter, removing the older drive-by convenience. "It don't work," one operator said of the new system. "We're losing a whole lot of money," the facilitator added.

Staff identified several meters that need physical repairs or new splices (Bush Moseman), and flagged the Carl Albrecht High School, where toilets have repeatedly refilled with muddy water and a hose is reportedly running constantly. Town staff said their supply tests clean and that the condition appears localized to the west end of the school building, suggesting rusted interior piping or building-side problems. The group discussed whether the town or the school district is responsible for repairs and the expense of replacement meters, which staff said can cost several thousand dollars apiece for large fire-suppression-capable meters.

Council members instructed staff to get the meter technicians Jonas and Keith to spend a full day in town to troubleshoot programming, handheld configuration, wiring and meter hardware, and to pursue warranty credit where applicable. The facilitator emphasized prioritizing the high school meter so the town can stop losing revenue and better understand whether the brown-water reports are a building issue or a distribution issue.

What’s next: Staff to schedule technicians and report back to the council before the next meeting.