TALLASSEE, ALABAMA [August 16, 2006] – Neptune Technology Group Inc. announced today that it has been chosen as the supplier of water meters and AMR systems for the City of Atlanta’s metering automation needs. A contract with K&V Meter Automation (K&V), a joint venture between KHAFRA Engineering Consultants, Inc. (KHAFRA) and VSI Meter Services, Inc. (VSI), is in place to provide the City of Atlanta’s Watershed Management (the City) the technology to automate approximately 150,000 water meters in the City’s service area with Neptune’s ARB® Utility Management Systems™. K&V will provide all installation and project management services.
This project includes Neptune meters equipped with ProRead™ absolute encoder registers and R900® radio frequency (RF) meter interface units (MIUs) for pit applications. Both the ProRead register and the R900 RF MIU provide a solid foundation for improved efficiency and guaranteed meter reading system accuracy. The City will utilize Neptune’s GIS-compatible mobile data collectors for monthly meter reading, the CE-based handheld readers and RF receivers for on-site data collection, and the EZNet targeted fixed network meter reading system to obtain meter readings from their larger customers on a more frequent basis (multiple reads per day).
According to Sylvia A. Glover, Utility Manager Special Projects for the City, "The City of Atlanta is excited about the selection of K&V Meter Automation and Neptune Technology Group for our automated meter reading contract. With the implementation of this project, the City of Atlanta will achieve greater customer satisfaction and a higher level of service to our water customers."
“The City of Atlanta is taking a proactive approach to managing its water resources, enhancing service to the consumer, and implementing cost-saving technologies; and Neptune is proud to have been chosen by the City to assist with these initiatives,” said Chuck DiLaura, President of Neptune Technology Group. “Atlanta’s decision to move forward with Neptune’s technology adds further validation that our products are addressing the key needs of progress-minded utilities.”
“This is a very important endeavor for the City of Atlanta and its citizens. It represents the importance the City places on managing and conserving their water resources and improving overall customer satisfaction”, said David McGinley, Vice President of VSI Meter Services. “We are proud to be entrusted with the execution of this program.”
About the Companies:
The City of Atlanta provides safe drinking water and fire services to one million people daily. With its commitment to the professional stewardship of Atlanta's drinking water and excellent customer satisfaction, Atlanta’s mission is to be THE leader of the water resources industry — serving its customers, protecting its watersheds, and improving the environment.
Neptune Technology Group Inc., a pioneer in the development of Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) technology for nearly 40 years, is a leading provider of data collection systems under contract to read more than 46 million meters per month. Since 1892 Neptune has continually focused on the evolving needs of utilities — revenue optimization, operational efficiencies, and improved customer service. Neptune continues to broaden its focus beyond automatic meter reading and metering to include service orders and meter asset management and to extend this capability to electric and gas utilities. In 2003, Neptune acquired DB Microware, a developer of utility automation software for meter reading, service order management, and route optimization. Neptune provides utility automation software touching over 58 million connected customers throughout North America. For additional information, visit the company website at www.neptunetg.com.
VSI Meter Services, Inc. specializes in meter reading, meter installation, AMR deployment projects, and related services. VSI is one of the largest metering services firms in the world, servicing utilities (water, electric and gas), AMR solution providers, and municipalities. VSI’s knowledge base, gained from installing over four million meters, is unsurpassed in the industry. VSI is a wholly owned subsidiary of Asplundh Tree Expert Company and is headquartered in Aston, Pennsylvania.
KHAFRA is an award-winning professional engineering and architectural design services firm, which has been providing comprehensive engineering and environmental consulting services since 1986. Since that time, the firm has grown into a regional powerhouse of engineers and architects with a staff of over 130 experienced, dedicated professionals.