Fraser council directs negotiations with Blue Water Solutions for citywide smart‑meter program

The Fraser City Council on Monday directed city administration to open contract negotiations with Blue Water Solutions for a citywide water‑meter replacement program aimed at improving meter accuracy and giving customers near‑real‑time leak detection.

City staff said the project would replace all water meters in the city, prioritize commercial meters first and phase residential work afterward. The council heard that nine bids were submitted to the RFP, two were rejected, one was unsealed and one was late; seven bids were evaluated and five bidders were invited for interviews. The city has budgeted $330,000 in the current fiscal year to begin the program, staff said, and noted the full program will require additional capital in future years or an extended schedule.

City manager (name on record: city manager, speaker 9) and utility staff reviewed technical tradeoffs between fixed and cellular meter networks. DPW staff member Jacob (speaker 12) explained that fixed networks rely on municipal towers to collect meter readings, while a cellular option uses existing carrier networks such as Verizon or AT&T and requires no tower infrastructure. He said cellular systems can reduce vulnerability when a fixed tower is damaged in a storm but can carry higher ongoing per‑meter costs.

Jim Thompson, account manager for Blue Water Solutions, presented Badger Meter’s e‑series ultrasonic meters and the company’s Ion Water customer portal. Thompson described customer features that staff and council said were important: 15‑minute or better resolution on reads, automated leak alerts and push notifications. Thompson said the portal can show daily and 15‑minute flow patterns and that “if you have continuous use of water, you’ll know in 24 hours,” allowing customers and staff to address leaks sooner.

City staff recommended Blue Water Solutions because the team showed strong local support and inventory and because the Ion Water portal provided the kind of transparency officials said they wanted. City staff member Barrett (speaker 7) told the council the staff interview team was impressed by Blue Water’s local warehouse stock and on‑site support, and that the vendor had provided timely integration help in pilot tests.

Council members pressed staff on cost comparisons and warranty terms. Staff cited a 20‑year battery life with a 10‑year full warranty (years 11–20 prorated), and presented long‑term cost estimates that varied by vendor and plan: some 20‑year totals presented to council approached $5.8 million, while a 10‑year estimate for one proposal was just under $5 million. Mayor Lehi (speaker 2) said he did not want the installation timeline to stretch beyond 10 years and asked staff to return with options to accelerate the program or to phase it while staying within budget constraints.

Council Member Fletcher moved and Mayor Pro Tem O’Dell seconded a motion directing city administration to begin negotiations with Blue Water Solutions; the motion passed by voice vote. Council asked administration to return with contract terms, options to buy meters and separately contract installation, and an analysis of budget impacts and timing. Staff said they expect to return to council with a recommendation in September or October as negotiations proceed.