LCRA grant to help Burnet fund water meter system upgrade
Lower Colorado River Authority representatives presented a $28,400 grant to the Burnet City Council for improvements to the city’s water metering infrastructure. Pictured in Council Chambers (from far left) are councilors Cindia Talamantez and Tommy Gaut, Mayor Pro Tem Philip Thurman, LCRA Senior Water Conservation coordinator Stacy Pandey, Mayor Gary Wideman, Councilor Tres Clinton (seated), LCRA Regional Affairs representative Susan Patten (standing), and Councilor Ricky Langley. LCRA photo
With the help of a $28,400 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority, the city of Burnet will make high-tech improvements to its water metering infrastructure that should reduce water waste and save customers money.
The grant, provided through LCRA’s Firm Water Conservation Cost-Share Program, will help the city install new cellular water meters as part of an “advanced metering infrastructure system,” according to an Aug. 8 media release from the LCRA. The system will include an online portal where customers can track their water use in real time, helping them spot potential leaks, increase conservation, and avoid costly bills.
Burnet City Engineer Eric Belaj said testing has shown that roughly 17 percent of the existing meters in the city fail to accurately read water usage. In addition, meter readings are collected only once a month, so residential and business customers sometimes discover leaks only when their monthly bills arrive.
“One of the challenges we face right now is that many of our existing meters aren’t sensitive enough to detect small flows, such as slow-drip leaks,” Belaj said in the media release. “The new meters we’re installing will fix that problem.”
The LCRA grant will help the city carry out the initial $232,800 phase of a four-phase project expected to be completed in two to three years. In the first phase, about 30 percent of the meters will be replaced or reprogrammed to function in the new AMI system. The new system will enable the city to pinpoint leaks and alert customers, better analyze water use trends, and share water conservation tips.
The first phase of the project is expected to save about 7 acre-feet—or around 2.3 million gallons—of water annually. The city estimates it will save about $32,000 a year with the new system.
“This upgrade isn’t just about finding and fixing leaks; it’s also about empowering our community to better monitor and manage water use, especially in regard to irrigation and compliance with drought contingency plans,” Belaj said. “We are grateful that LCRA has been, and continues to be, a great partner in water conservation.”
LCRA Executive Vice President of Water John Hofmann said the river authority supports Burnet’s efforts to reduce water loss and conserve water from the Highland Lakes.
“By adopting this new metering technology, the city of Burnet will increase water conservation, benefit its water utility customers, and save the city money,” Hofmann said in the release. “We are proud to help with this project to incorporate technology to pinpoint leaks, allowing the city and its customers to respond more quickly and reduce water waste.”
Cost-share grants are awarded through LCRA’s Firm Water Conservation Cost-Share Program to fund water efficiency projects and programs established by the authority’s firm water customers, which includes cities, utilities, industries, and irrigation and recreational water users.
Eligible projects must help reduce or maximize the efficient use of surface water, including water-loss reduction efforts, equipment efficiency upgrades, conversion of irrigated areas from raw or potable water to recycled water, and emerging technology projects focused on education, outreach, or technology advancements. Learn more at WaterSmart.org.
The LCRA also offers residential rebates to help offset the cost of upgrading irrigation systems, maintaining landscapes and pools, converting turf to drought-tolerant landscapes, and soil testing. See WaterSmart.org/rebates for more information.