By Louis Zylka
The 830 Times
City council discussed moving forward with the city’s automated metering infrastructure (AMI)
project during its May 27 regular meeting.
Purchasing Agent Luis Menchaca attended the May council meeting to give a presentation
about the AMI project, which is the installation of meters that allow for automated readings of
meeting on May 27 on the city’s automated metering infrastructure (AMI) project and the
benefits to the city having automated readings for water and gas usage. Menchaca said the
purpose of the presentation was to let the city know about the delay in the project’s completion
and ask for advice from the council members on how to move the project forward. As mentioned
in the council’s agenda packet, information was calculated in March indicating that the city is in
need of additional meters to complete the remaining part of the project. (Photo by Louis Zylka)
water and gas usage. The goal of the presentation was to seek out advice from the council to
push the project forward and have it be completed in a reasonable timeframe.
An ordinance was approved in May 2021 to start a partnership with Core & Main for an AMI
system for the city of Del Rio, and the project began in September 2023 with water and gas
meters throughout the city being changed out or retrofitted, Menchaca noted.
During the presentation on May 27, Menchaca said the city has been working on phase one of
the project. Phase one is the water meter portion of the project, and phase two would be the gas
meter portion.
Menchaca talked about the key benefits of having automated meter readings in Del Rio. The
first benefit was enhanced accuracy and ensuring precise meter readings. The second benefit is
efficiency and convenience, eliminating manual readings and reducing operational costs. The
third benefit is providing real-time information and access to real-time utility data, which in turn
gives residents more chances to make informed decisions. The fourth benefit is sustainability by
optimizing resource usage and reducing the city’s carbon footprint, and the fifth benefit is a
faster identification process offering quick issue resolutions.
Menchaca said 91.06 percent of phase one of the project has been completed and 14,072
meters have been replaced or retrofitted. The project was put on hold due to low inventory of
meters. Core & Main have calculated a total of 653 additional meters needed to finish the
remaining 9 percent. The cost for the purchasing and installation of these items is $302,220.48.
Menchaca then discussed the two options for the city to venture into continuing the project.
Option one will be to complete the remaining work through in-house employment, which will
target the completion of phase one for May 2027. The city will then need to budget
approximately $120,000 per fiscal year (FY) to purchase 330 meters. Option two will be for the
city to rely on funding the remaining portion through fund balance, and the remaining percent of
phase one will be completed in three months. An ordinance will need to be brought forward and
approved by the council to purchase the additional meters and the installation costs at
$302,220.48.
After the presentation concluded, the discussion was open for the council members to ask
questions. Mayor Pro-tem Jim DeReus asked Menchaca how the city is $302,220.48 short of
meters needed for the city. Menchaca talked about the damaged meters that were originally
installed and needed to be retrofitted. DeReus elaborated on how the entire planning process
needs to be revisited.
“We are talking an extra $900,000 over what our original estimate was. That honestly is a
horrible planning process. We are talking about 12-15 percent above and that is just based on how we did it initially . . . Initially, by the way, this was not supposed to be eight million dollars. It
was supposed to be five or six, and it went to seven point eight, and now we are adding another
900,000 on top of that,” DeReus said.
“This is like so many other projects in town where it is going to cost this much and by the time
we are done it is three times as much. By that point, we are kind of screwed because we have
to finish it,” DeReus added.
City Manager Shawna Burkhart suggested the city go with option one by completing phase one
in house. Mayor Al Arreola asked if the city’s staff is trained to finish the remaining part of the
project. Greg Velazquez, the city’s public works director, was also in attendance to talk more in
depth about the AMI project. He said the city’s staff is experienced in installing the meters,
adding that “the meters have a certain shelf life, so (the city staff) are already changing out
meters in their day-to-day jobs.”
Councilman Randy Quiñones asked what the warranty is on the new AMI meters, and
Menchaca said it is 15 years. Menchaca added that the warranty is solely on the meters and not
the installation. Quiñones then mentioned his worry with in-house staff putting aside other
projects to work on the AMI project. Burkhart said the water distribution staff are ahead of the
city’s sewer infrastructure and will “have the time to work on the meters.”
Councilwoman Carmen Gutierrez asked if option one a realistic timeline to complete phase one
of the project based on the city’s resources and labor. Velazquez said the city has “great people
that do this (work) day in and day out” and “who can knock the (phase) out pretty soon.”
Councilman Jesus Lopez Jr. asked if there had been reports of meter boxes being run over by
cars, and Velasquez said the boxes should be in the “right of way” areas of the streets and will
be replaced if they get run over. He said there have not been reports of any boxes being
damaged by vehicles.
Arreola said he has gotten complaints from citizens about their meters malfunctioning, and he
suggested the city to continue the project with option one.
“We just have to be diligent enough that everything is operational. We are getting a lot of
complaints of people saying their meters are being doubled read or triple read and (the
numbers) are going higher than they are supposed to,” Arreola said.
After further discussion, council unanimously agreed on the decision to move forward on the
AMI project with in-house personnel.
