Frequently Asked Questions
AMR stands for Automatic Meter Reading. Many utilities are using AMR as a way of improving customer service while reducing the cost of reading meters. Because the AMR system will greatly reduce our meter reading and meter maintenance costs, the system will pay for itself very quickly, so there will be no charge to existing customers and no rate increase to cover the cost.
Broomfield has chosen an AMR system that uses miniature radio transmitters attached to the water meter. We will be able to collect the readings from handheld radio receivers and from moving vehicles. With this process, one driver in a vehicle will be able to read more meters in one day. There will not be nearly as many problems from snow and meters that are hard access. We still need our customers to keep their meters uncovered and accessible at all times.
The key to the system is a device called an ERT – Encoder-Receiver-Transmitter. This device is connected directly to a special electronic register on the water meter. Normally, the ERT does nothing – it “sleeps,” waiting for the meter reader to approach.
The handheld device or truck-mounted computer system matches the ERT identification number with your property and records the reading. At the end of the day, the meter reader unloads the information to our billing system.
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Improved customer satisfaction
- Improved operations
- Cost reductions
- Improved employee safety
- Improved accuracy
- Theft identification
- Improved reliability
- Improved distribution system planning
- Improved leak identification
- Eliminates access problems
What is an ERT and where will you put it?
An ERT is a wholly contained electronic device designed to read the meter register and transmit a signal. The ERTs we are using in Broomfield are manufactured by Itron, Inc. of Spokane, Washington, the same company that has provided the AMR system used by Xcel Energy to read most of the electric and gas meters in the Denver area and by Denver Water.
We use two kinds of ERTs. The type that is used in a particular property depends on location of the water meter. Pit ERTs are used for meters located in pits outside the building, while Integrated ERTs are used when the meter is inside the building.
The Pit ERT mounts directly on or under the lid of an outdoor meter pit. It is sturdy enough to stand up to the weather and a certain amount of traffic load. The ERT looks like a black mushroom with a 7-inch diameter cap and a 2-inch diameter “stem” that passes through a hole in the lid. A wire connects the ERT to the meter register. In sidewalks, we’ll use a special lid that holds the ERT underneath and out of the way of pedestrians.
The pit ERT sticks up about ¾ inch above the cast iron lid, so it’s important that you take care not to damage it with lawnmowers and snow blowers. In some cases, we will use a lid that has a ¾ inch recess to hold the ERT so it is flush with the lid.
The integrated ERT is a 4 inch square black box that is attached to the register o
How are meters being converted to AMR?
Broomfield Utility Department personnel are currently replacing the remaining meters on an scheduled appointment basis. The project started in May 2002, and will continue until all meters are converted. Until then, some meters will be read with the AMR system, while the rest of them will be read visually. All new meters will be installed with ERTs, and we will usually install an ERT any time we have to change an existing meter.
We currently have several inside meters that have not been converted. If you have not had your meter converted or are not sure if the conversion has been done, please contact the Broomfield Utilities Department at 303.438.6334
City and County employees will be wearing a uniform and will have a photo Identification Card. All trucks used for the project will be displaying the City and County of Broomfield logo.
If you ever have any question about the identity of someone who claims to be working for Broomfield, please call our Utilities Division at 303.438.6334. Please do not let anyone in your home if you are not sure of their identity!
Why do you need to come into my home?
If your water meter is in a pit, the installer will not need to enter your home. He or she may need to work in your yard, however, and will probably want to run the water from an outside faucet when the work is complete. You can help by making sure that nothing obstructs the meter pit and that overhanging shrubbery has been trimmed back.
If the meter is installed indoors, the installer will have to work inside the building. A responsible adult must be at home when the installer arrives. You can make the installation faster and easier if you make sure that the water meter is fully accessible and that the area around the meter is clear of debris and obstructions. The installer may need to leave and re-enter the home several times to obtain supplies and to verify that the meter can be read from the street. Our installers have been asked to take special care inside people’s homes to avoid tracking mud and dirt into the house, and to clean up the work area before they leave.
There will be a brief interruption of service – usually for only 15 minutes or less. The installer will inform you before turning off the water and again when it has been turned back on. The entire operation should take less than thirty minutes.
No, that’s not quite right. Approximately every ten years, a Broomfield field service representative will need to change the battery in your ERT. Or we may need to inspect and service the meter and ERT every few years, if it isn’t working properly so you must keep them accessible.
In about ten years, a Broomfield field service representative will come by to change the battery in the ERT. For indoor ERT installations, that will mean making an appointment to get in the house.
Taking care of a Pit with an ERT
If you have a pit with an ERT mounted on the meter or lid in your yard or driveway, be careful not to run over it with a lawn mower or snow blower. Don’t bury the ERT or the meter pit, and don’t place objects on top of the ERT. We will still need access to your meter and ERT from time-to-time, and objects on the ERT may interfere with radio transmission.
If you do any landscaping around the meter pit, you’ll need to adjust the meter pit (and maybe the meter setting) to the new grade. You will need to contact the Broomfield Utilities Division at 303.438.6334.
Taking care of a inside ERT & Meter
If you have a integrated ERT attached to your indoor meter, the most important thing is to leave it alone. If you decide to finish or remodel the area where the ERT is located, please call the Broomfield Utilities Division at 303.438.6334 and arrange to meet with a field service representative who can explain how much room we need to work on your meter and ERT, or who can relocate the ERT if necessary.
Please do not box these devices in or place them behind plaster walls, and please do not paint them – we will need to inspect and service the meter and ERT every few years, so you must keep them accessible.
If you ever have any questions about your ERT, please call the Broomfield Utilities Division at 303.438.6334 . If the phone representative cannot answer your question, we will send a field representative to meet with you or telephone you.
What about my outside remote?
Many indoor meters were equipped with outside remote units so we could get a meter reading without entering the building. Many customers with those units installed also know that they often failed to accurately display the meter readings – they took a lot of work to maintain, and we often had to enter the building anyway just to check them.
If you have a remote on the outside of your building, we marked it Radio Read when we installed the ERT. You may remove this device at any time and discard it.
If you have any questions about AMR, ERT or your meter,
call the Broomfield Utilities Division at 303.438.6334.