Salisbury-Rowan Utilities has contracted with Vanguard Utility Service for the installation of an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. Advanced metering technology enables the wireless transmission of water meter readings directly to the Salisbury Rowan Utilities from regional collectors located on existing water tanks and towers. This innovative system will collect multiple reads per day, allowing for better leak detection, increased billing accuracy, and improved customer service.
Advanced Metering also supports Salisbury-Rowan Utilities’ commitment to preserving and protecting the environment.
- Carbon emissions will be greatly reduced by taking meter readers off the road.
- Salisbury-Rowan Utilities’ ability to quickly detect and stop leaks will be greatly enhanced.
- By providing up-to-date water usage data, customers can improve their efforts to conserve.
Details about your meter installation
Your meter will be replaced with a Badger water meter.
Upon completion of the Advanced Metering project, you will have the option to sign up for the BEACON EyeOnWater® account management platform. The BEACON EyeOnWater® account management platform will enable customers to view and understand their water usage through easy-to-understand consumption graphs, and provides a simple method to establish alerts to better manage water use.
When your installation will take place
Installations will begin in May 2017. The entire project should take approximately 6 months to complete. In most cases, the transition will be completely transparent and will not affect residents. The work will be performed during the normal working hours of Monday-Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM.
Routes in progress:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
(For Website, Billing Window, Billing Clerks and Customer Service)
- 1. Why is my water meter being replaced?
- Over time, meters become less accurate and can provide inaccurate readings. By replacing meters, Salisbury-Rowan Utilities will be able to bill more accurately and efficiently for water usage. In addition, the new system will include an automatic meter reading technology that will save labor time, prevent any recording errors, minimize wear and tear on vehicles, minimize the need for the city to go on the private property of customers, and allow water line leaks to be identified earlier by analysis of collected data.
- 2. Does this mean my bill will be increasing?
- Not necessarily. In cases where rates remain consistent, the new meters will simply record consumption more accurately. In some cases, your bill may increase, but only if the current meter is underreporting usage. Presently, the majority of customers are paying for the water they are actually using, while a few customers are only paying for a portion of actual usage. This condition is not fair to all customers. The Advanced Metering system will ensure fairness and equality for all customers from this point forward.
- 3. When will this work be performed?
- The work will begin in May 2017. The entire project will take approximately 6 months to complete. In most cases the transition will be completely transparent and will not affect our customers. The work will be performed during normal working hours of 8:00AM – 5:00PM.
- 4. How will this affect my service?
- Vanguard Utility Service installers will come to your residence and replace your water meter. The water meter will be checked to verify that water is presently not in use, and if no water is being used the meter will be replaced. There will be interruption of service for approximately 15 – 20 minutes during the change, but after that it will be the same great service (and even better) that you’ve come to expect.
- 5. How long will it take?
- In most cases, it’s a simple procedure that will require a total of 30 - 60 minutes.
- 6. How do I know who is authorized to do the work?
- Salisbury-Rowan Utilities has contracted with Vanguard Utility Service to conduct this service. They will be driving marked vehicles, wear light blue shirts, and yellow vests identified by Vanguard Utility Service and carrying appropriate Vanguard Utility Service identification.
- 7. Do they need to come inside my house?
- No, (with a few minor exceptions) all Salisbury-Rowan Utilities water meters are located outside in water meter boxes.
- 8. Do I have to be present for the installation if the meter is outside my home?
- No, if your outside meter is accessible, it will not be necessary for anyone to be home. The majority of the work will take place near the street in the water meter box.
However, if your meter is not accessible, for example within a locked area, then please call Vanguard Utility Service at (704) 675-1005 to schedule an installation appointment.
- 9. I’m on vacation or not available that day. Whom do I call?
- For outside meters which are accessible, it will not be necessary for anyone to be home as the work will take place near the street in the water meter box.
- 10. Why was I not able to turn on my water after the meter was installed?
- In rare instances, the main cut-off valve to your home may be left off. This will occur when the Vanguard Utility Service installation team is not able to pressurize your home following the installation. The normal cause of this condition is when an inside spigot is opened during the installation and subsequently left open. The water is not turned back on to ensure a sink or bath tub does not overflow with the customer is not home to turn the water off. In these cases, your water will be left off and a door hanger will be left on your door providing you a point of contact to call to have your water turned back on immediately.
- 11. Is there any special care or maintenance that I need to do to my new meter?
- No, your new meter does not require any maintenance by the homeowner. As before, Salisbury-Rowan Utilities will take care of all maintenance. However, please know that this new meter has transmitting technology on it that allows your meter to be read remotely on a daily basis.
- 12. Will this new meter reading technology affect my health or privacy?
- The new meters will not negatively affect health or privacy. In fact, overall health will be improved and privacy enhanced by replacing vehicles and manual visits to your home with environmentally clean radio communication. The wireless portions of the system will be operated according to Federal Communications Commission rules, and will not interfere with other radio frequencies in the area. The transmitters use one-quarter of the power of a cellphone transmission. In fact, exposure to radio waves from smart meters is absolutely tiny compared to cellphones transmissions. The amount of exposure to radio waves decreases with the square of the distance from the radio source and the total transmission time is only 15 seconds per day.
- 13. I still have questions, where can I get additional information?
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The Salisbury-Rowan Utilities is working with Vanguard Utility Service to answer everyone’s questions as thoroughly as possible. We have taken the following steps to answer your questions:
Frequently asked Questions and Answers will be posted on the website for the Salisbury-Rowan Utilities and can be found on this webpage.
For questions or concerns about your new meter installation, customers may contact Vanguard Utility Service at (704) 675-1005.
For questions about billing, customers may contact Salisbury-Rowan Utilities Customer Service at (704) 638-5300.
