One of the two base stations that receives signals from water meters and transmits them to City Hall has failed, and now city officials are working to correct the issue. In the meantime, affected customer’s billing will be based on estimates.
On Tuesday night, the Guthrie City Council approved a sole source purchase and installation of a base station to replace the eastside base station that suffered a catastrophic failure, necessitating immediate replacement.
“This came to us from out of nowhere.” Public Works Director Tenny Maker said.
The city currently operates two base stations, both 12 years old, located on the east and west sides of the city. According to city officials, the average lifespan of a base station is 7 to 10 years. However, the failed base station has been returned to determine the cause of the breakdown. If it is found to be storm-related damage, insurance may cover a portion of the replacement cost.
The stations are integral to Guthrie’s water management system, receiving signals from water meters and transmitting the data to the billing system.
The failure of the eastside base station has disrupted the city’s ability to accurately read water meters for around 900 customers. While the westside base station managed to pick up some readings, it was insufficient to cover all customers. Consequently, city officials have had to estimate bills based on average usage for the affected period.
Bills will be adjusted (increased or decreased) once the new base station is operational.
City Manager Eddie Faulkner, who is one of the customers that has been affected by the failed station, told the council, “If there is an increase in that usage and if there’s an issue with that resident needing to make that payment, we will be glad to work out a payment plan of some kind and explain the situation. It’s not their (customers) fault that our system went down.”
The city plans to utilize the Guthrie Public Works Authority (GPWA) unbudgeted fund balance for this purchase. Additionally, a line item will be included in the FY25 budget to replace the westside base station, ensuring both systems are up-to-date.
The council approved the funding of $65,000 to replace the station. The equipment is expected to arrive within approximately five weeks.
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