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Georgetown staff report leak-adjustment outcomes and outline plan for a systemwide metering audit
Summary
Water staff reported April leak checks and leak-adjustment outcomes and described options for a systemwide metering audit — including third-party laboratory testing and a statistically representative sample — with an estimated sample range between about 50 and 350 meters.
City water staff presented April leak-check and leak-adjustment results and described plans for a systemwide metering audit during the June 1 council meeting.
Staff reported 100 leak checks conducted for roughly 15,440 water customers in April; of those, 31 showed continuous flow at the meter after customers shut off fixtures. Water staff said they received 41 billing/adjustment requests in April. Under the adopted leak-adjustment policy, 16 of those met policy requirements for formal adjustments and 25 were given courtesy adjustments based on history and circumstances. Staff said policy adjustments typically begin by comparing the bill to a 12-month rolling average and then offering roughly half the delta above that average as a starting equity adjustment, with room for case-by-case discretion.
On metering accuracy, staff said they have pulled meters reported by customers and plan to send those units to an external certified bench in Frankfort for testing to ensure credibility. For a systemwide audit, staff described three options: retain a law firm experienced with public-utility metering audits to design and oversee a statistically representative sample and testing protocol; work with meter manufacturers for specialized testing support; or add a task order to the city dvanced metering infrastructure (AMI) contract with Jacobs Engineering to perform an independent audit and sampling. Staff emphasized chain-of-custody procedures and having replacement meters on hand so customers are not out of service while tests are performed.
Council and staff discussed sample-size considerations: the presenter said an engineering-statistics approach for a system of about 15,000 customers could point to a sample near 350 meters for tight confidence intervals, while some third-party vendors typically sample far fewer (40—60). Staff said they expect the final methodology and sample size to be set by a retained technical consultant or through an RFP/RFQ and that the effort will likely require formal procurement.
Next steps: staff will continue planning, inventory replacement meters, request procurement options, and return with a recommended methodology and cost estimates for council consideration.
