Peace of mind - Case Study

Remote terminal units eliminate need to regularly read master meters

For the better part of nine years, Vivian Shaw has been the operator of Chautauqua County Rural Water District #4 (RWD4) in Kansas. The utility distributes potable water to customers of Chautauqua and Montgomery counties, as well as the city of Longton, using approximately 275 miles of pipeline.

Depending on the season, RWD4 provides 50,000 to 80,000 gal of water per year. Shaw carries the full responsibility of the utility on her shoulders—taking samples, managing water loss and detecting leaks. As such, she has little personal time. If she suspects a leak in the pipeline, she must wait until nighttime to search for it because customers using water often cause interference in small leak detection.

For the past three years, RWD4 has used Mission M110 remote terminal units (RTUs) to monitor the pipeline for leaks. The RTUs monitor three master meters, which track how much water is pulled from the water supplier, Public Wholesale #20. This technology streamlined Shaw’s daily responsibilities, freeing up time and money while providing peace of mind.