Public Works

There are very few isolated areas of Sebastopol with poor cellular service that may prohibit the needed connection to the real time data.  If this is the case, Public Works staff would retrieve the data manually with a handheld device that would then show the entire trend of the water usage report.

A cellular water meter system is an updated water meter that allows utility managers and customers to monitor their activity in real-time. This improves leak detection and provides more opportunities for water conservation. Your meter measures the quantity of water used in your household. Flow is measured electronically at hourly intervals and updated every 24 hours for billing and leak detection.
The system uses existing cellular technology that is already in place.

The City of Sebastopol sells less than 3% of total water produced to outside users. These are our neighbors who otherwise would have no access to potable water. These customers are subject to the same 25% reduction mandate that customers within Sebastopol city limits must adhere to. 

No City employees would lose their jobs due to water meter reading automation. Cellular water meters create an opportunity to make better use of Public Works staff time to maintain and manage the water system. 

With the limited staffing levels of the Public Works Department it would prolong implementation due to the amount of workload it would take to complete a systemwide meter replacement program. It would be extremely difficult to take away from the daily requirements and maintenance commitments to dedicate our current employees to this task.