MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Morgantown Utility Board General Manager Mike McNulty has asked the board to fund a study of remote meter reading that could be implemented in 2025.
Rather than employees in vehicles burning fuel and creating greenhouse gases meters could be read from a remote location. The program would also eliminate problems with indoor meters and complaints about aggressive animals.
“We could do it here from the office or we could even have it where we would drive by different neighborhoods or a business and pick that reading up off the meter,” McNulty said.
MUB bills customers on a bi-monthly basis now making revenue difficult to forecast during some parts of the year. McNulty said smoothing out the revenue stream will make internal planning easier.
“It allows us to have more even amount of revenue coming in monthly rather than you have a large amount one month, smaller the next a so forth,” McNulty said.
For some customers, McNulty believes monthly bills could benefit families rather than a larger sum every two months. The systems have been tested and are secure with personal information as well.
“For the customer going to a monthly makes it less of a bill, so it makes it easier for them absorb in their budget,” McNulty said.
Remote meter reading is more accurate while saving labor costs and the time to get the readings. The process can also prevent a huge spike in a monthly bill by warning a customer or business of a water malfunction on the property.
“It really brings a great benefit in,” McNulty said. ” The accuracy and the time. Customers can go now with a leak for two months and us not even know it.”