JOHNSTOWN - The city Water Board last week continued to consider options regarding a possible modernizing of water meters in the city by hearing a presentation from a Massachusetts water equipment firm.
The board in the past several months has heard presentations from local and commercial water officials regarding possible upgrading of the water meter program. No decision has been made yet by the board.
"They're just seeing what's out there," city Water Department Clerk Cinda Spraker said Wednesday.
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Don Ladd, vice president of Ti Sales, discusses water meters with the Johnstown City Water Board last week at the Water Department building.
The Leader-Herald/Michael Anich
Ti Sales of of Sudbury, Mass., was the latest firm to make a proposal to the water board last week at the Water Department building. Vellano Brothers of Latham presented new water-meter reading options for the board in May.
Don Ladd, Ti Sales' vice president-sales manager, told the board his firm has provided Neptune water meters for 20 years to the city and would like an opportunity to present even more modernized equipment.
"Certainly, Johnstown is a very important account of ours," Ladd said. "We've been a staple in Johnstown."
Ladd showed the board a modern electronically read meter that can accurately measure one-quarter gallon usage per minute with 95 percent accuracy. He also noted the more modern meters are preferable because federal regulations will mandate meters with no lead in 2014.
The new units, Ladd said, have a radio transmitter put in the basement of the property owner. Readings can be taken by water employees outside homes by computer calculations taken inside trucks. Ladd said the radio receiver can calculate 70 reads per second.
Ladd said Ti Sales can change over all the city's meters within a couple months, or they can installed at the city's own pace. As an example, he said Colonie conducted a two-year program in which 3,000 old meters were swapped out for new ones.
"We want to make sure we represent your business plan accurately," Ladd said.
Ti Sales Eastern New York Account Manager Bryan Connor said it might be preferable for city water employees to do their own swapping out of meters so the residential customers feel more comfortable.
"I think from a customer relationship, it's good too," Connor said.
Michael Anich covers Johnstown and Fulton County news. He can be reached at johnstown@leaderherald.com.