AMI FAQ
- 1. What is AMI
- 2. Why is my water meter being upgraded with a replacement?
- 3. How long will it take to have my meter upgraded?
- 4. When will this work be performed?
- 5. How do I know who is authorized to do the work?
- 6. How long will I be without water?
- 7. Will contractors come inside my home?
- 8. Is there any special care or maintenance that I need to do to my new water meter?
- 9. How does this enhance customer service?
- 10. I still have questions, where can I get additional information?
- 11. How do I log into my SmartWater Portal?
1. What is AMI?
AMI stands for Advanced Metering Infrastructure. These new AMI meters consist of a water meter, a register, and a low-powered communication device/radio that is integrated in a single unit. The register is continuously recording water usage and the radio sends a meter reading to a Gateway which is mounted on a monopole or elevated water storage tank. The Gateway transmits the read over a secure network every 6 hours back to the meter data management software which is located in the cloud. With this upgrade and the integration of this data into the City of Seabrook existing WaterSmart customer portal software, you will have access to more frequent and detailed information about your water consumption, enabling you to have better control over your water usage and monthly bills.
2. Why is my water meter being upgraded with a replacement?
In the Spring of 2021, the Seabrook City Council approved the project to convert all city meters to AMI for improved data collection and to provide customers with more frequent and detailed information about their water consumption. In addition, a large majority of the city's water meters were past their useful life.
3. How long will it take to have my meter upgraded?
The installation will begin in July 2021 and will take several months to complete all replacements in the city. The actual installation process for a water meter replacements usually takes around 30 minutes to complete.
4. When will this work be performed?
The work will be started beginning July 2021. The entire project will take approximately 8 months. In most cases, the transition will be completely transparent and will not affect the residents. The work will be performed during normal working hours of 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM. You will receive a door hanger 3-5 days prior to installation crews arriving in your neighborhood.
5. How do I know who is authorized to do the work?
Ameresco/RTS-EnvoCore contractors will be wearing bright yellow shirts with “AMERESCO/RTS-EnvoCore”, and will be driving white trucks or vans with Envo-Core placards on their trucks, and carrying a letter on the City of Seabrook letterhead.
6. How long will I be without water?
There will be an interruption of service for approximately 15 minutes during the change. Because your water will be turned off temporarily during the meter change process, you may experience a brief period of air or discolored water. In most cases briefly running your cold water will clear up this situation. The full installation process is available on the website.
7. Will contractors come inside my home?
No, they do not need to enter your home. If the water meter is behind a fence, workers will need access to that part of the property.
8. Is there any special care or maintenance that I need to do to my new water meter?
No, your new meter does not require any maintenance by the homeowner. As before, the City of Seabrook Public Works Department will take care of all maintenance.
9. How does this enhance customer service?
The AMI water meters provide daily and hourly water use information, along with your current monthly information. Each household, after their new water meter is installed, can monitor their usage by logging on to the WaterSmart portal provided by the City of Seabrook. Through the WaterSmart portal, you can elect to receive text message, e-mail, or phone call alerts, if your water usage indicates a potential leak or abnormal usage.
10. I still have questions, where can I get additional information?
The City of Seabrook is working closely with Ameresco to answer everyone's questions as thoroughly as possible. We have taken the following steps to answer questions:
- Continue to visit the dedicated project website page at www.seabrooktx.gov/ami for updates and to view the schedule to see where installations will take place.
- Residents may contact the City's Utility Billing Office by emailing ub@seabrooktx.gov or by calling (281) 291-5600.
Register or access your WaterSmart Portal online at www.seabrooktx.watersmart.com.
Utility customers will need to register by entering their Seabrook Utility Billing Account Number and zip code. Customers can find their account number on their Seabrook Utility Bill. Customers who are unable to find their account number may email ub@seabrooktx.gov. Once customers have registered, they will have access to all their utility data after each billing period. Also, conveniently linked on the portal is the City of Seabrook online payment dashboard.