UMS Client Receives Prestigious Award for AMI Implementation
Industry: Business
UMS client, the City of Franklin, LA, received an award for outstanding municipal improvements and accomplishments for their “21st Century Water Meters” program.
Hammond, LA (PRUnderground) August 28th, 2017
The City of Franklin, Louisiana received the Basic Services award for outstanding municipal improvements and accomplishments from the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA) for their “21st Century Water Meters” program. Prior to the implementation of this program, Franklin’s water department was manually reading meters like many municipalities nationwide. This process is tedious, increases the potential for billing errors, and does not identify or provide customers leak information and usage patterns.
Franklin partnered with Hammond-based Utility Metering Solutions (UMS) to design, implement, and fund their program from the ground up. First, UMS conducted a technology impact assessment to determine the financial and operational benefits the city could realize from implementing this program. Based on the findings, UMS designed a custom end-to-end program which included meter replacements, advanced metering infrastructure, data analytics and consumer engagement software, systems integration, and the updating of existing business processes.
While the benefits of the program are plentiful, the main objectives for Franklin’s “21st Century Water Meters” program included:
- Improving customer service through the addition of a consumer-facing web portal which provides customers with access to usage information, alerts, and budget management tools.
- Identifying leaks before they become costly emergencies by providing consumption and location data to utility staff.
- Reducing unaccounted for water by upgrading aging water meters.
- Reducing operational expenses by enabling remote connects/disconnects, providing reliable data for right-sizing programs, and streamlining business processes.
- Promoting sustainability by reducing the frequency of truck rolls and empowering customers to reduce water usage.
“The City is honored to have received this award from the LMA”, stated Franklin Mayor Raymond Harris, Jr. “We are confident that our city staff and customers are truly going to benefit from this program. UMS’ knowledge, guidance, and expertise in deploying complex programs proved to be invaluable.”
UMS congratulates the City of Franklin for receiving this prestigious award, and is privileged to have been part of this program. To see how UMS can build a custom program for your utility, visit www.umswater.com.
About Utility Metering Solutions (UMS)
Utility Metering Solutions (UMS) specializes in the design, build, integration, and maintenance of utility programs, including Advanced Metering, Billing Systems, Smart City Design & Integration, Network Lighting & Controls, and Water Conservation. By combining the best technology, solutions, and support, we enable our clients to improve customer service, manage workforces more effectively, recover lost revenue, and conserve resources. UMS is a division of XtraLight Manufacturing, based in Houston, TX and founded in 1987.
For more information, visit www.umswater.com.
