leveraging mv-rs for a water/electric utility prepared by: rodney funke
TRANSCRIPT
Leveraging MV-RS for a Water/Electric Utility
Prepared by: Rodney Funke
Where we are
California-Placer County
Base of the Sierra Foothills - Close to Sacramento
Within 1.5 hours from Napa, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, S.F.
20% of households make above $100,000 per year
Who we are
We are a full service city providing
electric, water, sewer/reclaimed water, etc. for 100,000+ residents
Money Magazine2008 list of the 100 Best Places to live2006 was named “Skinniest city”
Family CircleNo. 6 in its “10 best towns for families”
Who we areFive Meter Readers
Turnover – What's that?
Age Service Years
44 7
49 16
46 8
54 24
44 6
Who we areFour Service Workers
New Hire Training – What's that?
Age Service Years
48 27
43 8
52 33
46 7
Who we are
Roseville Utilities
Currently serves 84,000+ electric/water endpoints with 52,000+ electric and 32,000+ water over a roughly 36+ square mile area.
Meter Reading Two methods of data collection currently are in use.
Manual meter reading 63% Automated meter reading (AMR) 37%
Electric 30% Water 50%
Service Work 4100+ service orders (monthly)
Sound familiar?
Objective vs. Subjective Makes it workGet rid of any subjective portion of
meter reading
Objectify • Meter Reading Time - 6.5 hours• Route Times• Service Order Requirements – 5 min.
A Meter Reader can only read 6.5 hours
A Service Worker can only do 75 Service Orders
Objective Buy-offs
A number of factors make up a meter reading route and a meter reader’s work day. A meter reader’s eight hour work day includes the following
Time at the office (am and pm)Discussions with supervisor or senior meter readerCompletion of documentsChanges in schedules and adjustments with other meter reading personnelMeetings
Safety & TrainingPerformance reviewsSpecial Recognition
TravelDrive time to and from routeRefueling vehicle, maintenance, etc.
Definition of 6.5 hour Meter Reading Route
Restroom breaksRead time
Actual read timeCustomer contactSurveysGates, fences, and DogsWeatherRouting inefficienciesTrafficExtended drive-waysTerrainLocksHi-Lo failures
Definition of 6.5 hour Meter Reading Route
Other factors that may affect reading times are included in the average projected read time only if the meter readers are rotated on a daily basis on the meter reading routes.
•Differences in speed (reading and walking)
•Not feeling up to par on some days
•Weather
•Personal start location for the route
•Service Worker versus Meter Reader
Definition of 6.5 hour Meter Reading Route
•It is important to recognize a days work is not based on the number of meters read, but the time worked.
•This is due geographical differences in meter reading routes, urban and rural settings etc.
•The route times are made up of average times.
Definition of 6.5 hour Meter Reading Route
Our Service Workers benchmark is 5 minutes per Service OrderOur capacity is 300 per day (four Service Workers x 75 S/O)
Definition of 5 min Service Order
Total CNP‘s 1,291 Reconnect of CNPs 1,026 Move-Ins 1,167 Move-Outs 678 Total Move-In/Out 1,845 Abnormals 253 Skips 123 After hour call outs 158 Door hangers 154 Cust requested re-read 39 Re-boot of meter 6 Misc. Service Orders 9Total Misc S/O 742
Total Service Orders4,904 Or an average of 245 per day.
Lets Develop a tool We will discuss how to develop a tool just
using the “Meter Reader Statistics Report” and Microsoft Excel to
Measure Performance Metrics.
The next 5 slides show what aspects of the MV-RS report we use.
Meter Reader Statistics Report
Meter Reader Stat Report Route ID
Meter Reader Stat Report Time Used
Meter Reader Stat Report Time Elapsed
Meter Reader Stat Report Total Readings
Management using an existing MV-RSReport
What we use it forStandardized route timesEasy Re-Route toolDetermine staffing/leave needsMeter Reader –Service Worker assistanceStrategic ERT Meter Deployment
What am I talking about?
04/21/23 Confidential 22
Why add Knowledge?
I live in California and want to go to Hawaii. The Island of Lanai to be exact
There is JUST water separating us. All I need is a boat.
04/21/23 Confidential 23
Sometimes you need a little more information. I knew I needed a
boat
I wish I would have known how large of a boat.
Setting it up in Microsoft Excel
Here is just one example of the benefit we experience from additional knowledge.
• Just using the MV-RS report we have changed our benchmark standards from
• Cycle 22 needs 4.33 bodies to read• Cycle 23 needs 5.07 bodies to read
• Using the knowledge from the report• Cycle 22 needs 3.05 bodies to read• Cycle 23 needs 3.36 bodies to read
Standardized Route Times
Standardize the route times. All route times can be manipulated (we’ll minimize that)
We will set it up by cycle then route.
Then we will enter the time used for each route and average it out.
Then we will adjust the time for manipulation.
This will give us an average true time to read the route. If we then add the routes from a cycle together we get an average time needed to read the cycle.
Setting it up in Microsoft Excel
See that 60min break?
Setting it up in Microsoft Excel
If you just run the reports
Give a thirsty man water
Or a manager knowledge. MDM
Using the data
By having objectified route time data • No more hearing about how he gets “cake routes”
How to handle the service orders? (Remember my 245 average daily S/O? Unfortunately they don’t generate like the average)
• We will show you how we utilize our Meter Readers and Service Workers to help each other.
Grant / denying vacation requests? • No more bad guy role for the manager (knowing the work load helps
reduce leave liabilities)
Do I need more or less staff?
Is it time to re-route? • How to handle cycle imbalances
Staffing Needs
Now lets take the data to the next levelWe have objectified route time data
• No more arguing he gets “cake routes”
How do I handle all the service orders? (Remember my 245 average daily S/O? Unfortunately they don’t generate like the average)
• We will show you how we utilize our Meter Readers and Service Workers to help each other.
Can I grant vacation requests? • No more bad guy role for the manager (knowing the work load help
reduce leave liabilities)
Do I need more or less staff?
Is it time to re-route? • How to handle cycle imbalances
Staffing Needs
Roseville
You’ll notice the green indicates our staffing requirements needed to read each cycle.
We currently read with a 20 cycle schedule.
We label our cycles 11-15, 21-25, 31-35, 41-48. With 11 being the farthest East and 48 the farthest West. The majority of our growth is on the west.
Notice cycle 11 is our smallest read day requiring 2.27 bodies to read the cycle. Our largest is cycle 48 (Del Webb) requiring 4.7 bodies on the following page.
The percentages in pink are based on percentage of automation.
The first number in the blue “pre mobile” indicates the original time requirements prior to using the proper data. The majority of improvement was post the ERT deployment .
Staffing Needs
Roseville
We schedule or vacation calendar according to our Meter Reading staffing needs.
If space is available on the vacation calendar, the day can be taken off up to the afternoon prior to the next read day. This reduces the divisions leave liability and boosts morale.
You will also notice that cycle 32 requires 2.73 bodies and cycle 48 requires 4.70. We evaluate the need to re-route every 18 months. This will be our third in three years.
Route assignments
We offer a 9/80 schedule to our staff.
The routes assignments are based on work schedule. No Strings
Meter Readers are expected to give a status check-in at a designated time.
Route assignments
Meter Readers and Service Workers help each other out based on daily work load.
125% above the other is the threshold
We allow 6 min per S/O for meter readers.
Service Workers and Meter Reader
Route assignments
Route assignments
Strategic ERT deployment tool
Automation -Potential for strategic deployment of a fixed AMR network with the
implementation of retrofit and replacement AMR meters
Route optimization has been beneficial in the analysis and efficient deployment of Automated Meters with the mobile AMR reading process.
All new construction is automated.
The ability to select prospective AMR installs by: read-time history, meter characteristics
RetrofitsWe have received a grant from the Army Corp of Engineers for our
strategic ERT strategy. Roughly 10,000 water ERTs
Our ERT deployment is based on safety, then efficiency.
Strategic ERT deployment tool
Roseville
Meter Route Management
Why so often – Because its now easy.
Roseville invested in Rerouting in 2003 and again in 2005 and 2008.
Aggressive implementation of structure for meter route optimization was implemented in the 2003 reroute. No reduction or increase of the 216 routes.
Adjusted routes use the benchmark of 6.5 hours of read time.
Rerouting has enabled Roseville to more effectively optimize staffing resources for the effective and efficient completion of meter routes and service orders.
Why Reroute Our Meter Reading
BenefitsMeters are read on a competitive cost per read basis.
Work is completed accurately and on time.
Continued ability to read meters effectively. (high completion 99.95% / accuracy rate 99.98%.
Reduced growth impacts on labor
Route Management Re-Routeing
Route Management Re-Routeing
Benefits
Control meter route expansion due to customer growth.Geographically organize meter reading routes to minimize unnecessary drive time.
More efficient utilization of Service Worker employees when completing customer premise and meter reading investigative orders
Efficient utilization of existing staffing resources and cost effective planning for additional meter reading personnel
Re-Routeing tool
This year we are going to a 19 cycle read schedule. This allows for perennial short months February and November to be accounted for.
A Current Cycle
Route Management Re-Routeing
MVRS Meter Data Management
Definition:
Meter data management is a system that links a utility’s meter data to improve process and reduce costs
This is a poor mans MDM system
MVRS Meter Data Management
Problem:
Meter data is only as good as that data that is being used.
Before upgrading develop a matrix with
Needs vs. Wants vs. Nice to have
Thank you for attending Paralysis Theater.