Smart Water Management and Open Data Article from OpenDataSoft

Lauren Brown, Director of Client Services at MeterSYS was recently interviewed by OpenDataSoft and discusses the importance for receiving leak alerts and other issues in real-time from smart metering systems.  “We serve public utilities exclusively, and are able to serve as a trusted advisor and augment internal staff resources. We help utilities through every phase of smart metering, including evaluation and feasibility analysis, RFP creation and vendor negations, installation project management, all the way through post-installation support.”

To read the full article from OpenDataSoft click HERE

A unique, industry-leading platform that improves performance management for utilities

MeterSYS, a metering technology services company that works for public utilities, and OpenDataSoft, a dynamic software platform that specializes in making data open, transparent, and actionable, are excited to announce a strategic partnership.

The partnership between MeterSYS and OpenDataSoft provides a unique and industry-leading platform for MeterSYS clients that enables customized advanced analytics displayed in intuitive infographics with the goal of improving performance management for utilities across key indicators and business functions.
This innovative new platform created exclusively for utility information management will allow MeterSYS clients to get more out of their advanced meter data and gain greater insight into their system, increase operational efficiencies, and improve utility customer service.
The OpenDataSoft platform will allow MeterSYS to aggregate and process data from multiple sources, compile unique data sets, and turn them into stand-alone Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) with the ability to integrate with other third-party software.

“The OpenDataSoft platform is built to acquire, combine, analyze and disseminate the many different data streams critical to modern infrastructure management. When that platform is leveraged by the deep domain expertise of MeterSYS, our mutual customers will benefit from a leading-edge solution that delivers unique insights and value”, declared Roger Hodskins, VP of Strategic Alliances at OpenDataSoft.

Background Information

MeterSYS is working with OpenDataSoft to develop a platform that will be complementary to a utility’s Metering Data Management System (MDMS). This platform will allow for more detailed analytics, customized infographics, and curated data stories that will use the raw data from the MDMS. For the first time, MDMS data can be analyzed and displayed in a way that will inform key management features and allow for data-driven decision making across all functional areas of utility management. This functionality opens these data even to those mostly traditionally excluded from accessing the MDMS, like finance and customer service.

“The ability for MeterSYS to provide sub-domains and “right-size” the user experience through layered accessibility and licensing allows us to scale our services, while also benefiting from the industry-leading privacy controls within the OpenDataSoft platform, which provide a critical level of security and performance for our clients” said Andy Honeycutt, Managing Director at MeterSYS.

About OpenDataSoft:
OpenDataSoft enables any local or national government or agency to become more transparent and accountable to citizens and consumers. Its second-generation open data platform is fast to ramp-up and intuitive to use, and transforms data into services without requiring technical expertise.
Headquartered in Boston, MA and Paris, France, OpenDataSoft already powers open data portals for many municipalities and agencies worldwide – including the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the City of Paris, the Ministry of Health in Portugal and the Swiss National Railways. For more information, visit www.opendatasoft.com or follow company news on Twitter via @opendatasoft

About MeterSYS:
MeterSYS is a Raleigh, North Carolina based meter technology consulting firm that provides a full range of services to public utilities, including feasibility analysis, procurement services, project management, Meter Data Management services, and business process improvement. Our company is uniquely positioned to partner with public utilities to provide sustained operational efficiencies, enhanced customer service, and natural resource conservation through advanced metering technologies. For more information, visit www.metersys.com or follow company news on Twitter via @MeterSYS

Across the country, institutions of higher learning are developing new leadership for the many public sector and public utility jobs that will need to be filled as we begin to see 10,000 people per day leaving the workforce for retirement with 48% of all organizational supervisors eligible to retire.  With this major shift in the demographics of the public sector workforce, universities like Appalachian State are cultivating a strong group of emerging leaders through its Public Administration program for under-graduate and graduate studies.  Long considered the leader in North Carolina for placement of local government leadership, many other universities across the region have adopted similar programs to the App State model in order to develop the local, state, and federal leadership for the next generation.

Similarly to the App State Public Administration program, the Town of Troy in North Carolina has adopted a similar philosophy of dedicated support and training of young public administration professionals.  For over 30 years, the Town has supported public administration internships to provide students practical experience in local government and utility operations.  Mayor Roy Maness has been at the helm of the program from the beginning as he does today and has given over 60 local government and utility professionals their career a starting place for success.

As a proud member of the ASU Local Government Alumni Association and a former Town of Troy intern, it is my pleasure to support the Roy Maness Scholarship Golf Tournament which raises sustaining funds for Public Administration students to continue their education.  Thanks Mayor Maness and the Town of Troy for your efforts to enhance the quality of public sector professionals for over three decades.

Making the putt at the 18th.

The National coverage of Flint Michigan’s water crisis has brought the fundamental infrastructure challenges of overburdened water facilities to the forefront of city council agendas nationwide, a change from its usual absence of attention that has kept systems underfinanced and in the background. While Capital Improvement budgets and plans are commonplace among local government finance departments, adequate investment in water and sewer infrastructure has consistently lagged behind funding for other municipal projects and the useful life of existing pipes and plants continues to be pushed past its limits. Recent estimates by the American Society of Civil Engineers reports that drinking water infrastructure is typically more than 100 years old and in need of replacement across the nation^[1]. System expansions and upgrades are expensive, and according to the Congressional Budget Office, states and localities cover more than three-quarters of all public spending on water infrastructure. Flint has offered the lesson that waiting until it’s too late is even more costly.

A silver lining from the Flint crisis is that many local governments are taking a hard look at their aged infrastructure in advance of any major issues or system failures. To aid in the identification of leaky pipes, local governments are realizing they need to have better measures to test, troubleshoot and ensure their water system meets all regulations and standards. One option being utilized is Smart Metering.  Smart meters offer the tools to collect the insight needed into utility operations and customer consumption that will help drive decision-making and improve asset management. The hardest step for any smart metering project is the first step, and MeterSYS can help by providing a custom implementation strategy tailored to your public water system that details the costs and benefits of smart metering. For more information, please contact our team of professionals at info@metersys.com or visit our website at www.metersys.com.

[1] http://infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/drinking-water/overview

Smart City Infrastructure Gaining Global Momentum

Black & Veatch, a global engineering, consulting and construction services firm, released its 2016 Strategic Directions: Smart City/Smart Utility Report in February.  This report identifies trends and highlights issues reported by local communities as they upgrade their utility infrastructure. The main takeaway from this report is the major investment American cities are making in Internet of Things (IoT) technology, and how that is not only expected to increase in coming years, but the integration of two-way communication into municipal assets will allow big data to drive government investments, inform capital planning, and empower consumers through increased functionality and real-time customer service from their public utilities.

A statistic from the report states “90% of government and municipal respondents said they view smart city initiatives as transformational with the potential for long-term positive impacts on cities globally. Yet, more than half of respondents say their organization does not really understand the smart city concept.” Metering as a service (MaaS) is a great option for local governments that do not have the means to manage the full requirements of smart city initiatives in-house. Almost 50% of municipalities who responded to Black & Veatch voiced this concern. If your local government is having trouble identifying how smart metering infrastructure can work for your city, we can help. MeterSYS offers a range of services specifically designed to help public officials evaluate, design, bid, and implement smart metering technology for gas, water, and electric utilities.