AMI water meter upgrades for Belterra

Hays County Water Control and Improvement Districts 1 and 2 received $21,031 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority towards their current efforts to upgrade their water meters to an advanced metering infrastructure (AIM) system. 

The grants will help Hays County WCID 1 & 2 complete a $543,000 project to replace 1,274 water meters with more advanced models and add a customer portal for all 1,850 connections. Customers will be able to use the portal to detect leaks and high water use, with customized alerts, through a customer portal.

 “Over the next three years, our plan includes replacement of all the traditional water meters in Belterra with AMI meters,” Kristi Hester, Hays County WCID 1 & 2 district manager, said. “This will provide customers with access to round-the-clock readings of their own meters and alert them to anomalies that may indicate a leak. With this new infrastructure technology, we are in a position to make significant strides in customer service, water conservation, leak discovery and operational improvements.”

 The districts began installing the AMI system in May 2019 and expect the project to be complete in 2021. The project is expected to save about 18 acre-feet, or roughly 5.91 million gallons, of water from the Highland Lakes annually.

 "The Highland Lakes are a major water supply for Central Texas," John Hofmann, LCRA executive vice president of Water, said. “Establishing good water conservation practices and putting more efficient, water-saving technology in place is important to help manage our water supply in the future. We are pleased to partner with Hays County WCID 1 & 2 to help get the new advanced meter program up and running.”

The grants are awarded through LCRA's Firm Water Conservation Cost-Share Program, which provides funding for water efficiency projects and programs established by LCRA's firm water customers. Customers include cities, utilities, industries, irrigation and recreational water users. Projects funded through the program include converting irrigated areas using raw or potable water to recycled water, and decreasing utility system water loss, such as flushing reductions or leak detection and repair.

About LCRA

The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to enhancing the lives of Texans through water stewardship, energy and community services. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934. For more information, visit lcra.org.