Blissfield to implement Advanced Metering Infrastructure this summer for water efficiency
BLISSFIELD — Starting this summer, the village of Blissfield will begin replacing water meters throughout the community through the launch of its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) project, which is aimed at providing enhanced customer service to the village’s utility customers.
The $1,345,950 project is scheduled to take at least four months to complete, according to a news release issued last week by Danielle Gross, Blissfield village administrator. During that span of months, 1,585 water meters will be installed village-wide, offering customers a range of benefits, Gross said.
“The new meter system will provide real-time water usage data and consumption threshold alerts, comparative data and leak alerts,” Gross said in the release. “Implementing AMI will empower village staff to provide improved customer assistance.”
Residents and businesses in Blissfield will receive advance notice of the new meter installation through door hangers and other forms of communication, the village said. To help streamline the process, residents are encouraged to update their contact information with the Blissfield Village Office by calling 517-486-4347 or stopping by the village office between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Additionally, the village said, residents may write their phone number on their water bill stub when dropping off their payment. Having updated and current contact information on file with the village is needed for scheduling appointments for the meter replacement.
The meter replacement project is one of several water and sewer projects already in progress or scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2024.
From September 2023: Morenci updating traditional water meters to digital meters
Current projects budgeted for the village’s fiscal year — October 2023 through September 2024 — include the following, along with $423,000 budgeted for the water meter replacement project:
Water projects
Hydrant replacement, Sherman and North Lane streets, $17,500.
Dam repairs, mandated by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), $12,000.
Water tower water main replacement project, $330,000.
Water treatment plant generator replacement, $33,000.
Water treatment plant filter air room unit, $57,310.
Intake inspection, $5,000.
SCADA upgrades, $9,000.
Reliability study, mandated by EGLE, $60,000.
Low service VFD replacement, $20,000.
Under river water main replacement, $343,000.
Sewer projects
Mains and manhole replacement, $400,000.
Beagle Road lift station chopper pumps, $50,000.
Why water bills might be higher from one month to the next
Currently, water meters in Blissfield are scheduled to be read on the 15th day of each month.
For example, as provided by the village, a department of public works employee will read the meter on Feb. 15, which will cover the usage from Jan. 16 to Feb. 15. The meter read will then be entered into the village’s billing program. A customer’s bill is mailed and emailed on the first day of the month and the bill is due on the 25th day of the month, unless that date is a weekend or a holiday, then its due date falls on the next business date.
“Occasionally, our read periods are extended if DPW has other items taking priority such as snow plowing or a broken water main,” the village said. “If meters cannot be read on the 15th, the usage period is extended; however, the base fee remains the same. Billing runs behind six weeks.
“Blissfield staff works hard to avoid this situation as much as possible to keep utility bills consistent.”
The new meter program will help solve such an issue, the village said, as all usage readings will soon be done electronically.
From October 2021: Blissfield approves mixing system for water tower to reduce water aging
Blissfield’s fees for water and sewer are made up of two parts: an .availability charge and a consumption charge. The availability charge is the base amount billed each month. These revenues are used to pay for operating costs — ongoing expenses incurred of the normal day-to-day operations, the village said.
The consumption charge is the amount billed to a customer per 1,000 gallons of usage. These revenues are used to pay for current and future infrastructure projects, also called capital improvements.
Blissfield has 24.5 miles of water mains plus more than 180 hydrants and valves. It has the same mile number of sewer mains (24.5) in addition to manholes and lift stations.
Consent orders and mandates
Blissfield was assessed $5,000 in fines which were paid in 2020, a communication from the village said.
“No additional fines were assessed to the village, and the administrative consent order was terminated by EGLE on Nov. 28, 2023,” the village said.
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EGLE’s mandate which states communities must locate and replace all lead or galvanized service lines, “is just one of the many challenges Blissfield and other communities face,” the village said.
While Blissfield has been working on addressing the mandate for the past several years, items of work are still pending including, 665 remaining services to identify; the expected cost just to identify the service line materials could range between $483,000-$724,500; and the estimated cost to replace all services lines in Blissfield is expected to be $3.6 million.
Blissfield’s water and sewer funds are called enterprise funds. These types of funds account for the operation and maintenance of water and sewer services, which are entirely self-supporting by user charges (fees).
— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: twitter.com/LenaweeHeineman.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Blissfield to implement Advanced Metering Infrastructure this summer
