The Orange Water and Sewage Authority is considering a $6 million update to their water meters.

An Advance Metering Infrastructure system would involve installing a small radio transmitter on each meter to allow OWASA to collect the readings digitally.

Todd Taylor is the general manager of operations at OWASA.

“AMI is a system that collects these meter readings remotely through radio transmissions, which eliminates the need for someone to drive or walk the community to collect this information monthly, as we do now,” said Taylor.

Currently, about two-thirds of the over 21,000 meters in Chapel Hill and Carrboro have to be checked in person. The rest use an automatic meter system that can be checked when employees drive by.

Taylor said one of the benefits would be the ability to detect water leaks earlier.

“Our staff would have access to these hourly reads and be able to proactively let customers know when water use patterns change,” said Taylor.

Taylor said the system would also eliminate the chance for human error in reading the meters.

The majority of the public comments that OWASA has received so far are in support of the project.

But some voiced concerns that OWASA employees could be laid off or that the cost of the new system would get passed on to customers.

Taylor addressed both of those concerns saying that no one would be laid off due to the new system.

He also said rates would not increase because the AMI system would help offset its cost by avoiding further investment in the manual system and reducing employee inefficiency.

OWASA customers would also have more information about their water usage habits.

“Another benefit to AMI would be that customers would have access to this data, therefore they will have insights into how they use water in their own home, which will allow them to conserve water and also save money,” said Taylor.

You can share your opinion with OWASA by emailing info@owasa.org

On March 24, the OWASA Board of Directors will vote on whether to purchase the AMI system.

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