San Jose Water (“SJW” or “the Company”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of SJW Group (NYSE: SJW), announced today that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) has approved its request to deploy Advanced Metering Infrastructure, more commonly known as AMI or smart meters. The Company will be investing approximately $100 million over the next four years in this technology, which supports customer service and environmental goals.
“We appreciate the CPUC’s approval of our AMI request, which will enhance the customer experience by giving customers greater control over their water usage and water bills. Smart meters support SJW’s commitment to preserving and protecting the environment by helping to detect and stop leaks quickly, respond to climate change impacts, and reduce carbon emissions. This technology will help us effectively plan for future water supply needs,” said Andy Gere, President, and COO of San Jose Water.
AMI systems track water usage and provide meaningful hourly data to monitor for leaks and consumption. When fully implemented, the benefits of AMI include:
- Access to water usage, 24 hours a day
- Early leak detection notifications
- High-use alerts
- Ability to monitor and manage water use during periods of drought
- Enhanced customer service
- Currently, customers see their water usage when they receive a bill. For most, this is once every 60 days. AMI will also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions through water savings and decreased vehicle travel to its more than 230,000 water meters. San Jose Water is expected to cut its annual carbon footprint by 103 tons of CO2e, equivalent to the CO2 emissions from 11,590 gallons of consumed gasoline.
As the AMI deployment begins, SJW will work to engage and inform customers about the technology and its benefits.
News Source: Businesswire
