ELECTRIC UTILITY CURRENT PROJECT:

In October, 2009, the Board of Trustees of Denison Municipal Utilities (DMU) approved a project that would replace all residential, commercial and industrial water meters in Denison. This project will help DMU account for water losses and ultimately reduce them. Not only is water loss a concern based on prudent and efficient uses of our natural resources, it also significantly increases the cost of water treatment thereby adversely affecting water rates. As of May, 2011, all water meters have been converted.

Therefore, in January, 2011, the Board of Trustees approved another meter exchange project, this one directed toward the electric meters. Again, the main advantage of changing the electric meters is that efficiencies, bill timing and measuring accuracies will be gained by using state-of-the-art digital, electronic meters vs. the older gear-driven meters. These new electric meters will also provide real-time consumption data that could assist a customer with tracking when electricity is actually used. They will also assist DMU by providing system demand information so any trends of high usage can be monitored and if possible, corrective actions implemented, thereby keeping electric rates as low as possible.

Another advantage to having new electric meters in the system will be the ability to read both the electric and water meters remotely via one radio signal. No longer will a DMU employee need to walk to every premise and location to get a reading. Instead they will be able to drive through town and receive the consumption readings as they pass by a home or business. Again, once the electric meters are all changed, expected in January, 2012, the radio-read process will shorten the billing cycle, provide more accurate readings and will allow the DMU employees to expand their work duties to other activities.

DMU thanks you in advance for your cooperation in helping us improve the operational efficiencies of both the water and electric utilities in Denison. We pledge to make this final meter conversion process as painless and with as little intrusion as possible. If you have any questions about the process or with any problems encountered during the conversion, please contact the DMU office at 712-263-4154.