Water Metering / Pricing Project Longford

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Water Metering / Pricing ProjectLongfords
Experience

• 11 May 2005
• Tullamore

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Story so far

• Background
• Drivers
• Inhouse vs DBO
• Process management
• Methodology

• Project costs
• Outcomes
• Issues
• Lessons learned

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Background

• 500 metered accounts
• 1,500 fixed charge customers
• Unidentified customers large number
• Management system underdeveloped
• Revenue collection - 40
• Unaccounted for water 56

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Drivers

• Consolidation of technical and revenue services
• Water Framework Directive
• User based charges
• Water conservation
• Consumer demand for more consistency, fairness
  and transparency

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Inhouse vs DBO

• CIS GIS established and comprehensive
• Rural county
• Inhouse expertise and local knowledge
• Process control
• Cost
• Future management / options

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Process Management

• Steering group established
• Strategic approach
• Council policy
• Management support
• Multidisciplinary
• Teams established
• Engineering, technical and administration
• Meter installation team
• Water charge collection team

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Methodology

• Customer database
• Equipment procurement review
• Customer service
• Revenue collection

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Customer Database

• CIS GIS
• Geo Directory
• Customer survey
• Records files
• Local knowledge
• Area based approach
• Incentives

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Longford Caretaker Areas
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Equipment Procurement Performance Review

• Meters
• Meter boxes
• Loggers
• Meter reading
• Meter management software
• Meter billing software
• Contractors

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Customer Service

• Communications
• Public briefing sessions
• Stakeholders
• Dummy bills / leakage alert
• Backup and support
• Staffing implications
• Customer charter

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Revenue Collection

• Historical debt
• New customers
• Meter reading
• Billing issues
• Debt collection
• Staffing implications

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Project Costs

• Capital costs
• Budget
• Expenditure to date
• Unit cost per meter
• Revenue costs
• Staff operational costs
• Collection costs

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Outcomes

• Project commencement date mid 2003
• Customers identified 3,500
• New meters installed to date 1,500
• Anticipated number of meters 4,500
• Completion date mid 2006

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Revenue Collection

• 2002 - 400,000 40
• 2003 - 700,000
• 2004 - 1,200,000 75.5
• 2005 - 2,000,000

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Problems and Issues

• Historical baggage and culture
• Legal system
• IT

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Problems and Issues

• Connections
• GWS
• Multiple
• Illegal
• Owner/occupier
• Water conservation
• Water pricing

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Lessons Learned

• Management commitment
• Customer service focus
• On the ground / local knowledge
• Staff recruitment, training and commitment
• IT systems
• Dedicated multidisciplinary teams
• VFM

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Meters and Meter Boxes
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Meters Reading Technology
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Meter Identifier
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Questions