neptune water meter installation - civicweb

Report DES2017-57 of 6

Date Monday, December 11, 2017

From Robert Armstrong, Director of Development & Environmental Services

Subject Neptune Water Meter Installation

Report No. DES2017-57 Roll No. N/A

Recommendation

That Council of the Municipality of Meaford direct staff to continue to:

1. Install the Neptune 900i water meter on the basis that the units have been approved by Industry Canada in compliance with Safety Code 6; and

2. Install an external radio transmitter in exceptional cases where individuals have identified as having electro hypersensitivity disorder and have removed other forms of RF technology from their home; and

3. Install the external radio transmitter based on eligibility for sensitivity to radio transmission at no additional cost to the homeowner.

Background

On August 28, 2017, Council approved the single source award of the Neptune water meter (Report FIM2017-28 attached) to replace the existing residential water meters in the urban area of Meaford. This report provided the rationale for this recommendation including the fact that they are the same meters that the Municipality has been installing in new dwellings and used as replacements for broken meters since 2007. Further are the same meters that were installed in Leith when their water system was upgraded in 2006.

When some residents received direct notification from Neptune Technologies with regard to the Water meter replacement program they became concerned about the potential health effects from these meters. Staff would classify these concerns under two categories. One being individuals that


have a known health impact or electro hypersensitivity disorder (term used by Health Canada) and the other being those that perceive a potential health effect from the installation of the water meters based on what they have heard or researched.

To address concerns for those who have a known impact to RF technology, staff developed an alternate solution wherein the meter would be replaced in the dwelling and the existing wiring that runs from their current meter to the analog reader outside would be used to put an RF reader outside. In order to obtain this alternate system, an application was developed that required the individuals to confirm that they have taken steps to remove other forms of RF technology and that they would be responsible for any costs related to damage to the outside radio read or wiring. The purpose of this confirmation is to ensure those with identified RF technology sensitivity have access to an alternative solution as opposed to residents who continue to use other forms of technology emitting RF frequency.

The following chart outlines the current status of the project as of noon on December 5, 2017:

A presentation was made by Mike Belec on behalf of Meaford Citizens 4 Safe Technology on November 27, 2017 with regard to the water meter installation program. This report is in response to comments made within their report within the purview of our expertise.


Analysis

Neptune Technologies has provided a FAQ and a White Paper to the Municipality which has been distributed to Council and some residents. The FAQ is also available on our Website under current infrastructure projects. With regard to this documentation, we would like to the highlight the following:

• The R900i is certified by Industry Canada who has adopted Health Canada’s “Safety Code 6: Limits of Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields in the Frequency Range of 3KHz to 300GHz”.

• R900 device transmits for less than one minute total per day and for 7 milliseconds at a time. The exposure to radio frequency energy at a distance of .3 metres (1 foot) from the meter is never more than 0.08 mW/cm2 for the Fixed Network Messages (once every 7 ½ minutes or 3% of the transmissions) and 0.008 mW/cm2 for Standard Mobile Messages (once every 14 seconds or 97% of the transmissions).

• They have classified radiation emitted by devices operating at these RF frequencies as “non-ionizing”. Other types of non-ionizing radiation devices include televisions, radios, remote controls, and other devices that use visible light and infrared light.

Note1 : The Neptune R900i is equivalent to line 3 (electric Smart Meter – 1 foot) for the standard mobile messages.

Note 2: The chart above showing comparison of RF Power Density uses “microwatts” wherein the info from the FAQ is in “milliwatts”. 1 Microwatt =.001 Millwatts


The presentation from Mr. Belec highlighted that consideration should be given to switching to the Toronto solution (Aclara meters). It should be noted the Toronto option was considered by municipal staff prior to proceeding with the current solution. Neptune Technologies was the company that installed the Toronto solution, so have intimate knowledge of the requirements to implement that system. For the following reasons, we did not pursue this alternative:

a. The increased cost to implement this option would have been approximately $400,000. This would have included the establishment of 5-6 towers in the community to receive the signal and transmit back the municipal office, a server to process the data including software and implementation and the replacement of all meters installed since 2007;

b. The challenge of locating towers to receive the data throughout the Municipality, and;

c. The Municipality would require a yearly license to operate on the frequency required for the Aclara metres.

Based on the information that the Neptune 900i meters are safe (Approved Industry Canada, which uses Safety Code 6 as part of its approval) and given all of our other infrastructure replacement costs (aging water and sewer lines), staff did not want to place this additional financial burden on our customers.

Staff would also provide a reminder that we are not scientists or health professionals and as a result will not engage in any debate on the health effects of the RF meters. As noted earlier, we rely on the regulatory body (Industry Canada and Health Canada) in this regard.

Financial Impact

Should Council direct staff to proceed with another water meter option such as Toronto, the anticipated additional cost will be $400,000 plus the costs to terminate the existing contract.

Implications

It is acknowledged that some people are sensitive to RF technology and, as a result staff have attempted to address this issue with an option that does not result in an increased financial burden to the user.

There will be significant financial implications to residents should Council decide to cancel the current installation program.


Strategic Priorities

This report supports the mission, vision and values of the Municipality of Meaford, as well as the goals and objectives set out in Council’s Strategic Priorities 2015-2018, particularly with respect to:

Focus Area: Investing In Infrastructure Objective: Focus on Asset Management

A. Invest in the best technologies to ensure the most effective delivery of all services related to tangible assets.

Focus Area: Investing In Infrastructure Objective: Fund Assets Responsibly

A. Develop and implement a comprehensive linear asset and general capital asset project schedule to expedite and fund related and similar capital needs.

Focus Area: Investing In Infrastructure Objective: Balance Rehabilitation, Construction, Maintenance

A. Adopt and implement a rationalization approach to asset management. B. Evaluate and identify how the existing service levels can be

maintained. C. Evaluate and respond to the community’s interests and needs for

expanded services related to tangible assets.

Focus Area: Ensuring Sustainability Objective: Social: Foster a Caring Community

A. Create a culture of responsiveness to address the diverse needs of residents to the best of our ability.

Focus Area: Leading in Municipal Government Objective: Drive Continuous Improvement

A. Ensure efficiencies are achieved through operational optimization and generating new revenues.

Focus Area: Leading in Municipal Government Objective: Strengthen Accountability and Compliance

A. Ensure responsible financial and risk management.


Consultation and Communications

Neptune Technologies

Senior Management

Conclusion

Staff acknowledge the concerns brought forward by the residents as it relates to potential health impacts of the water meter installation and we have responded with an option for those that have sensitivity to RF technology.

The current water meter installation program has been underway since 2007 and the recent project to replace all of the remaining residential water meters in the former Town of Meaford and surrounding area is an extension of this program. In this regard, it is requested that Council confirm the continuation of this project.

Supporting Documentation

Appendix 1 – FIM2017-28 Single Source Award – Residential Water Meters Appendix 2 – Neptune FAQ Information Appendix 3 – Neptune Technology White Paper

Respectfully Submitted:

_________________________________ Robert Armstrong, RPP Director of Development and Environmental Services

_________________________________ Reviewed by: Denyse Morrissey, CAO

Report FIM2017-28 Page 1 of 6

Date Monday, July 24, 2017

From Darcy Chapman, Treasurer / Director of Financial Services and Infrastructure

Management

Subject Single Source Award – Residential Water Meter Replacement Program

Report No. FIM2017-28 Roll No. N/A

Recommendation

That Committee of the Whole recommend Council of the Municipality of Meaford approve the Single Source Award of the Residential Water Meter

Replacement Program to Neptune Technology Group for $823,354.96,

including a 10% contingency allowance and the Municipality’s non-refundable allocation of H.S.T.

Background

In accordance with the Municipality’s Purchasing Policy, the purchase of

goods, services, or construction services in excess of $150,000, including one-time purchases or multi-year contracts, must be authorized by Council.

As such, this report has been drafted to provide Council with the required information for the single source award of the Residential Water Meter

Replacement.

Analysis

In 1990, the Municipality of Meaford implemented a program of universal

water metering on all services in the municipal distribution system.

At that time, Neptune water meters and associated hardware and software

were selected by the Municipality. The water meters selected were the best available technology. Analog meters were paired with an ARB pin

connection reader, which was mounted on an outside wall of the property. This configuration enabled Municipal staff to collect a meter read without

having to enter the property, and the use of a handheld meter reading device eliminated any manual data entry by the meter reader. The analog

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DES2017-57 Appendix 1


meter reading was then downloaded to Neptune's software and then

uploaded into the Municipality’s Keystone accounting software. This enabled Financial Services to generate the 2,500 plus water bills with little

to no data manipulation.

Meter technology has advanced since the early 1990s, and as the new

radio frequency (RF) meters have become more affordable, staff have begun to install RF meters into all new homes as well as for the replacement of

failed analog meters. Currently 28% of the Municipality's residential water meters are Neptune RF meters. Other than the Leith System, these

meters are not installed in a specific location within the Meaford Water System, based on where homes have been built, renovated, or where there

have been failures.

SDR-35 Water and Wastewater Services identified that the full

implementation of RF meters will allow staff to complete all meter reads in a single morning. The hours required to fulfill this task will be reduced from

540 hours annually to approximately 72 hours, 60 hours for the

Commercial meters and 12 hours (6 days x 2 hours x 1 person) for the residential meters.

During the first six months of 2017, staff have researched other municipal implementations of residential water meter replacement programs with RF

technology, as well as met with representatives from Neptune to discuss the benefits of a turn-key replacement program.

Based on the results of the research, staff selected Neptune RF water meters for the meter replacement program. Neptune meters are the most

widely used water meters in this region, have an excellent reputation for their performance, and for their manufacturing and technical support. In

addition, our current meter reading technology and the interface with our billing system is Neptune technology. Adding a different

manufacturer and meter product into our existing "Neptune" water meter system is not practical, economical nor recommended for the

following reasons:

Changing meter suppliers would also require hardware and software upgrades in order for the billing process. These upgrades would

include both meter reading collection equipment and billing software changes. The cost to switch these items would be a t l e as t $40,000

and would create a logistical nightmare for the billing department in managing two separate systems;

Alternatively, the Municipality could replace the existing 780 Neptune RF water meters, which are generally less than 7 years

old, with the other manufacturer's water meters at an additional


cost of $300,000 to $350,000 for the program;

If it was decided to keep two different manufacturer's meters in the Municipality's system; product parts, storage, tools and staff

training would be doubled; loss of local manufacturer/supplier with a history of highly responsive support; increased future meter

replacement costs related to incompatible installation dimensions.

Additionally, staff reviewed the most efficient and customer friendly method

to coordinate the replacement of meters, the customer service and scheduling, the management of inventory, and the transition between the

existing and the new meters from a billing standpoint. The options reviewed by staff included the analysis of a turn-key system or the

municipal-led system, with staff determining that the turn-key solution would allow for the project to be completed in a timely fashion and with a

greater focus on customer service. The summary of this analysis has been appended to this document.

Financial Impact

The budget for this project was established for a total of $900,000, with $650,000 of the project being funded in 2017, and the remaining $250,000

being funded in 2018.

The proposal submitted by Neptune of $823,354.96, including a 10%

contingency allowance and the Municipality’s non-refundable allocation of H.S.T. is approximately $75,000 under the approved budget.

The proposal provided to the Municipality by Neptune includes an anticipated substantial completion date of February 28, 2018. However, the company

has identified in their proposal that the majority of their projects are completed ahead of schedule. An earlier completion date will be favourable

to the Municipality as the ability to locate and exercise curbstops to shut off

water becomes more difficult with increased snow accumulation.

The completion of the project prior to December 31, 2017 will result in

$163,354.96 of the cost of the project not being funded at year end. This will be addressed through the Treasurer / Director, Financial Services &

Infrastructure Management’s year-end report.

Implications

Presently there are no specific guidelines nor recommendations that dictate that the meters should be replaced at a certain age, as the

accuracy and longevity of water meters is affected by numerous factors, including the water chemistry and the watermain materials. The

American Water Works Association (AWWA) Standard recommends testing


at least 50 meters on a regular basis and that the testing results, together

with the availability and desirability of new technology (i.e. upgrading to RF meters to improve productivity) can be used to help decide when to

replace the water meters. Staff had 12 water meters removed in 2015 and tested. The results indicated a 99.7% average reading accuracy,

indicating that the 20 plus year old meters have continued to provide accurate readings throughout their life expectancy. Every 0.1% decrease

in the accuracy of the meters results in lost revenue of $1,000.

Failure to replace the water meters in a timely fashion will also result in

additional work orders related to replace failing or defective meters. On average, water meter replacement work orders take approximately 1 - 2

hours to complete.

The dated meters need to be replaced with new technology in order to

provide operational efficiencies and ensure accurate meter readings for the next 20 plus years, as well as to decrease the amount of meter

replacements, allowing staff to spend more time on the maintenance of the

water system.

Strategic Priorities

This report supports the mission, vision and values of the Municipality of Meaford, as well as the goals and objectives set out in Council’s Strategic

Priorities 2015-2018, particularly with respect to:

Focus Area: Investing In Infrastructure

Objective: Focus on Asset Management

A. Complete and implement a comprehensive asset management plan

that includes all corporate tangible assets, including: Buildings

Linear assets (roads, water and wastewater, etc.)

Fleet Land and land improvements

Machinery and equipment B. Incorporate annual operations and maintenance needs within the Asset

Management Plan to ensure the lifespan and usefulness of assets is maximized, and accelerated degradation is avoided.

D. Invest in the best technologies to ensure the most effective delivery of all services related to tangible assets.

Focus Area: Investing In Infrastructure Objective: Fund Assets Responsibly


A. Investigate and review all funding models and opportunities to support

infrastructure needs, including long term debt. B. Evaluate funding opportunities to support one-time capital needs.

Focus Area: Investing In Infrastructure Objective: Balance Rehabilitation, Construction, Maintenance

A. Adopt and implement a rationalization approach to asset management. B. Evaluate and identify how the existing service levels can be

maintained. C. Evaluate and respond to the community’s interests and needs for

expanded services related to tangible assets.

Consultation and Communications

The Municipality and Neptune Technology Group will jointly promote and

implement the residential meter replacement program. The Municipality will be responsible for the initial advertising of the program and providing

affected parties with a Notice of Project regarding the program and what is required from each property owner. Neptune will be responsible for the

scheduling and installation of the new meters.

Conclusion

Funding for this project has been included in the 2017 User Pay Capital Budget and the 2018 User Pay Forecast.

Staff recommend the Single Source Award of the Residential Water Meter Replacement Program to Neptune Technologies.

Supporting Documentation

Appendix 1 – Turn-key Solution vs. Municipality Managed Solution

Respectfully Submitted:

_________________________________ Darcy Chapman

Treasurer / Director of Financial Services and Infrastructure Management


_________________________________

Prepared by: Bradey Carbert, Manager, Purchasing/Asset Management

_________________________________ Prepared by:

Chris Collyer, Chief Operator, Environmental Services

_________________________________

Prepared by: Robert Armstrong, RPP, Director of Development and Environmental

Services

_________________________________

Reviewed by: Denyse Morrissey, CAO

Water Meter Installation Contract Comparison

Neptune Supply and Installation vs Supply Only and Install using local contractors

Neptune Supply and Installation Separate Agreements

Project Timeline 4-5 months Upwards of 2-3 years unless local qualified contractors

commit to only installing water meters until project complete. Otherwise this work is typically

used as filler work

Project Expenditures Municipality only pays for installation only upon completion of work

Purchase meters in advance and then pay for installation work

once complete.

Inventory Management No inventory management required by Municipality

Municipality required to manage inventory and provided

to contractors on as needed basis and bill back for any lost

inventory that doesn’t get installed

Project Management Neptune manages all appointment scheduling, customer service issues.

Maintains a consistent message to all residents

Municipality would need to book appointments for

contractors or have each individual contractor manage

customer contact methodology. Municipality would be

responsible for making sure all residents received the same

message and level of customer service from all contractors

Administration – paper work Neptune manages all installations using electronic

work order ensuring accuracy and consistency of data through

use of bar code scanning and picture management. All

installation data transferred electronically to Municipality

Municipality would either input hand written work orders from contractors or have contractors provide installation data in an

consistently in the same electronic format in order to

make receipt of installation data the same

Quality Assurance Neptune project manager enforces company Quality

Assurance program (include inspections) to verify

installations are performed as per manufacture standards and

Municipality’s requirements

Municipality would be required to perform quality inspections

on each contractors work

Public Communication Neptune would provide the public communication literature and implement communication

Municipality would provide the public communication literature and implement communication

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FIM2017-28 Appendix 1

plan that will be received by all residents effected by the

project

plan that will be received by all residents effected by the

project or have the individual contractors created their own

communication plan

Contract Management Municipality would manage a single contract (insurance,

performance bond etc) with Neptune for the duration of the

project

Municipality would be required to manage as many contracts as

they have contractors for the duration of the project

Municipality Staff requirements Municipality would be required to appoint a liaison that would work with Neptune for the 4-5 month project. Role of liaison

would be to support the project where Municipality

input/assistance is required. Neptune would handle all day

to day activities

Municipality staff would be required on an ongoing basis for 2-3 years of project, involved in

all day to day activities as required.

ARB® UTILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS™

R900® RADIO

FREQUENCY (RF) EMISSIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS This document provides general information about radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic fields from R900 wireless communication

equipment. This information has been provided by Neptune Technology Group, which has evaluated this equipment for RF emissions. R900

equipment has been certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and Industry Canada (IC).

What frequencies are used by the meter/radio equipment being installed?

R900 wireless communication equipment operates within the Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) band which includes frequencies

from 902 MHz to 928 MHz.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDR) have classified radiation

emitted by devices operating at these RF frequencies as “non-ionizing”. Other types of non-ionizing radiation devices include

televisions, radios, remote controls, and other devices that use visible light and infrared light.

Have the meters/radios been certified by the FCC and Industry Canada?

Yes. Radio endpoints being installed have been tested in accordance with Title 47, Part 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations and have been certified by the FCC. The R900 is also certified by Industry Canada who has adopted Health Canada’s “Safety Code 6: Limits of Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields in the Frequency Range of 3KHz to 300GHz”.

Where can I go to learn more about regulatory compliance?

The FCCs document OET Bulletin 65 Edition 97-01, “Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields”, details how to measure or calculate levels of RF radiation and to determine compliance of RF facilities with exposure limits.

Additionally, FCC OET Bulletin 65 Supplement C Edition 01-01 provides further guidance on determining compliance for portable and mobile devices. These documents may be found at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/radio-frequency-safety.

What is the power output from the R900 devices when they are transmitting data?

The effective radiated output power (ERP) for the R900 devices is less than 100 milliwatts (mW) for Standard Mobile Messages sent every 14 seconds. Fixed Network Messages are transmitted at just under 1 Watt every 7½ minutes. In comparison, portable transmitters used by consumers typically operate over this output power range, and in fact may operate with output power up to several thousand milliwatts.

Are there any health hazards associated with this technology?

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes in its Fact Sheet 304:

“To date, the only health effect from RF fields identified in scientific reviews has been related to an increase in body temperature (> 1 C°) from exposure at very high field intensity found only in certain industrial facilities, such as RF heaters. The levels of RF exposure from base stations and wireless networks are so low that the temperature increase is insignificant and does not affect human health.” WHO Fact Sheet 304 may be found at www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs304/en/index.html.

Are there RF exposure standards for the R900 devices?

The FCC has established rules requiring transmitting facilities to comply with RF exposure guidelines. The limits established in the guidelines are designed to protect the public health with a very large margin of safety. These limits have been endorsed by federal health and safety agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the FDA.

The FCC has established exposure guidelines for RF devices operating in the 300 kHz to 100 GHz range. These safety guidelines are

outlined in the publication, OET Bulletin 65 Edition 91-01, “Evaluating Compliance with the FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to

Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field”, and can be found at http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/radio-frequency-safety.

http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/radio-frequency-safety

http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs304/en/index.html


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F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S

The general-population exposure limits set by the FCC for the frequency range utilized by the meters/radios and other devices such as

cordless phones and baby monitors is 0.6 milliwatts per centimeter squared (mW/cm2) at 902 MHz.

R900 device transmits for less than one minute total per day and for 7 milliseconds at a time. The exposure to radio frequency energy

at a distance of 1 foot from the meter is never more than 0.08 mW/cm2 for the Fixed Network Messages. This is approximately 8

times lower than the exposure limit set by the FCC. Standard Mobile Messages are an order of magnitude lower.

For more information on the effects of RF energy exposure, please visit: • FCC: For information regarding potential RF hazards from FCC regulated transmitters, please contact the Federal Communications

Commission, Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20554; Phone: 1-888-225-5322; E-

mail [email protected]; or go to http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/radio-frequency-safety.

• FDA: For information about radiation from microwave ovens and other consumer and industrial products, contact Center for

Devices and Radiological Health (CDEH), Food and Drug Administration or go to http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-

EmittingProducts/default.htm.

• OSHA: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Health Response Team has been involved in studies related to

occupational exposure to RF radiation. https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/radiation_nonionizing/index.html.

• WHO: The World Health Organization’s Electromagnetic Fields information page is located at

http://www.who.int/topics/electromagnetic_fields/en/

Does Health Canada have RF exposure standards for the R900 devices?

Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 outlines and specifies maximum levels of human exposure to RF energy at frequencies between 3 kHz and 300 GHz, to prevent adverse human health effects. Safety Code 6 also specifies maximum allowable RF contact and induced body currents to prevent the physical perception of internal currents resulting from RF energy in uncontrolled environments, and to prevent RF shock or burns to personnel in controlled environments. The code also serves to provide guidance for evaluating RF exposure levels, to ensure that personnel in controlled and uncontrolled environments are not exposed at levels greater than the limits specified in this code.

For more information on Health Canada’s Safety Code 6, please visit: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/consult/_2014/safety_code_6-code_securite_6/final_finale-eng.php

Will installation of the new meter/radio interfere with my security systems, pacemaker, cell phones, or other RF electronics?

The transmitting devices operate in compliance with FCC 47 CFR Part 15 regulations, which require coexistence with other Part 15 certified devices. Within the 902-928 MHz frequency band, operation is limited to frequency-hopping, direct-sequence spread-spectrum, and digital modulation intentional radiators. This rule facilitates multiple devices operating in the same location. This includes devices such as security systems, pacemakers, cell phones, and cordless phones. The meter/radio’s transmit signal is of very short duration (seven milliseconds), which further decreases the potential for interference with other devices. For comparison, seven milliseconds equates to approximately one minute total transmission time per day.

How long has this meter/radio equipment been manufactured?

The R900 radio devices have been in production since 1999.

How many radio devices have been installed in residential applications?

Over 9.0 million Neptune R900 radio devices are deployed on water meters today throughout North America. In addition, over 100 million 900 MHz radio devices are deployed on water, gas, and electric meters across North America.

Over the past 13 years, have there been any cases of interference caused by the R900 radio devices?

There have been no documented cases where the R900 devices have interfered with third-party devices.


http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/default.htm

http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/default.htm

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/radiation_nonionizing/index.html

http://www.who.int/topics/electromagnetic_fields/en/

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/consult/_2014/safety_code_6-code_securite_6/final_finale-eng.php

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/consult/_2014/safety_code_6-code_securite_6/final_finale-eng.php

A W H I T E PA P E R B Y N E P T U N E T E C H N O L O G Y G R O U P I N C .

Nearly 120 million1 radio frequency devices have been installed in the past five years in North America to gather usage data from water, gas, and electric meters. Utilities of all sizes and types have realized the operational and customer service benefits of automating their data collection processes. But as the use of these systems has grown, some have raised questions over public safety. Have the health effects of these devices been adequately considered?

In this article, we’ll address the issue of these health effects, and try to distinguish fact from fiction in the process.

BackgroundFirst, we need to provide some background on the physics of radio frequency (RF) systems. For the purposes of brevity, we’ll only hit the high points in this article, but we’ve added more information on our website at www.neptunetg.com.

Radio frequencies are part of a broad range of energy phenomena called the “electromagnetic spectrum.” Everything in the electromagnetic spectrum consists of waves of energy that are measured in terms of their frequency and magnitude. The electromagnetic spectrum includes not only radio waves but also visible light.

Frequencies are measured in Hertz and 1 Hertz = 1 cycle per second. We use metric prefixes kilo, mega, giga, and so on to designate multiples of 1 thousand, 1 million, and 1 billion Hertz respectively. So a device operating at 900 MHz, which is commonly used for RF devices in many automatic meter reading systems, is oscillating at

900,000,000 (or 9 x 108) times per second.

The diagram below illustrates the different types of waves that make up the electromagnetic spectrum. The human voice (not shown on the diagram) typically has a frequency range of 85 to 255 Hz and would be at the far left of the chart. As the diagram shows, the electromagnetic spectrum is often subdivided into two categories: ionizing radiation and non-ionizing radiation.

The EPA provides the following definitions:

Radiation that has enough energy to move atoms in a molecule around or cause them to vibrate, but not enough to remove electrons, is referred to as “non-ionizing radiation.” Examples of this kind of radiation are sound waves, visible light, and microwaves.2

Radiation that falls within the “ionizing

radiation” range has enough energy to remove tightly bound electrons from atoms, thus creating ions. This is the type of radiation that people usually think of as “radiation.” We take advantage of its properties to generate electric power, to kill cancer cells, and in many manufacturing processes.3

Automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) systems typically operate in the 450MHz to 2.4GHz frequency range. And there are many other devices we use every day that operate using radio frequencies including; baby monitors, remote car keys, smart phones, cellular networks, cordless telephones, AM and FM radio broadcasts, garage door openers, radio-controlled toys, television broadcasts, satellite communications, police radios, and the list goes on and on.

HEAlTH EFFEcTS oF RAdIo FREqUENcy BASEd AMR/AMI SySTEMS

RADIO GAMMA RAYX-RAYVISIBLEINFRAREDMICROWAVE ULTRAVIOLET

103 10-2 .5 X 10-610-5 10-8 10-10 10-12

104 108 1012 1015 1016 1018 1020

Typical AMR/AMI Systems

About the size of...

Buildings Humans Honey Bee Pinpoint Protozoans Molecules Atoms Atomic Nuclei

Wavelength (meters)

Frequency (Hz)

NON-IONIZING IONIZING

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With the explosion in social media, smart phones, WiFi, mobile streaming, GPS systems, and a myriad of other applications, the use of RF has grown exponentially. As of June 2011, the number of connected devices with wireless subscriptions was 322.8 million6, which exceeds the estimated U.S. population7. Unless you live in a specially designed shielded room like an anechoic chamber, you’re exposed to RF signals 24/7.

HealtH effectsSo, what is the impact of RF-based AMR and AMI systems on our health?

We’ll use the terms previously identified to start the discussion. We are all aware that some levels of ionizing radiation as found in Gamma Rays, X-Rays, and certain types of ultraviolet light are harmful to our health. RF systems that are used for AMR and AMI systems fall into the category of non-ionizing radiation, as they do not have sufficient energy to change the structure of molecules with which they come in contact.

Within the non-ionizing group of frequencies, where do AMR- and AMI-equipped smart meters fall? The table below shows the relative power density in microwatts per square centimeter (µW/cm2) so that the various devices can be compared. Although water devices were not specifically measured in this independent study, they would tend to operate like gas smart meters which are also dependent on battery power and therefore can’t transmit as often or at an output power as high as electric smart meters.

As we can see, the level of exposure to RF emissions is much less for smart meters (gas and water being the lowest of these) than our typical exposure to laptops, WiFi networks, and cell phones.

While there are many published opinions on the topic, the following summary from Health canada seems to be one of the most concise:

As with any wireless device, some of the RF energy emitted by smart meters will be absorbed by anyone who is nearby. The amount of energy absorbed depends largely on how close your body is to a smart meter. Unlike cellular phones, where the transmitter is held close to the head and much of the RF energy that is absorbed is localized to one specific area, RF energy from smart meters is typically transmitted at a much greater distance from the human body. This results in very low RF exposure levels across the entire body, much like exposure to AM or FM radio broadcast signals.

Survey results have shown that smart meters transmit data in short bursts, and when not transmitting data, the smart meter does not emit RF energy. Furthermore, indoor and outdoor survey measurements of RF energy from smart meters during transmission bursts were found to be far below the human exposure limits specified in Health Canada’s Safety Code 6.

Based on this information, Health Canada has concluded that exposure to RF energy from smart meters does not pose a public health risk.9

So there does not appear to be a link between RF emissions in AMR and AMI systems and concerns about public health.

Personal exPerienceAnd beyond the studies, we at Neptune have some rather unique personal experience to add to the discussion.

located at our factory and headquarters in Tallassee, Alabama, Neptune has its “meter farm” which is used for testing meters and RF devices in various environmental conditions. At any given time, there are some 1,300 operational radios located about 100 feet from our engineering office. In addition, every day thousands of new radios are manufactured, activated, and tested on-site. This is a level of RF saturation that would be very uncommon even in the densest urban settings.

We ran two twenty-minute tests at our office to determine the power density in the area of our engineering office (where we work every day). It should be noted that in addition to the signals from the radios manufactured and tested on site, there are several WiFi routers, cellular boosters, and countless cell phones. These tests were not intended to isolate the source of the radio frequency signals but were designed to show the amount of ambient exposure that could be encountered in an area saturated with RF signals.

As we can see from the data below, the radio frequency exposure that we measured during these tests was far below the levels that would be encountered by a typical cell phone or walkie-talkie when held to the user’s head.

Neptune is very conscious of employee health as illustrated by the fact that we switched all bronze-body meter production to lead free alloys in 2001, over a decade before legislation was enacted to mandate use of lead free materials. Although this put Neptune at a cost disadvantage, one of the primary drivers was the concern that lead exposure might have to our employees’ health.

If we thought RF was bad for us, or others, we wouldn’t subject ourselves to the possibility of harm.

comparison of rf Power density in the everyday environment (microwatts per square centimeter, or µW/cm2)8

Adjacent to a gas Smart Meter (1 foot) 0.00166

Adjacent to an electric Smart Meter (10 feet) 0.1

Adjacent to an electric Smart Meter (1 foot) 8.8

Microwave oven nearby (1 meter) 10

Wireless routers, laptop computers, cyber cafés, etc. maximum (~1 meter for laptops, 2-5 meters for access points)

10 to 20

cell phone (at head) 30 to 10,000

Walkie-Talkie (at head) 500 to 42,000

tHe cost of oPt-out ProgramsThere will always be people who, for whatever reason, prefer not to have a “smart meter” installed at their residence. For this small group, the utility may want to consider an opt-out program.

one of the primary benefits to the utility and the community at large in implementing an AMR or AMI system is the reduction in meter reading costs by reducing the time required to gather the readings. Since the cost of reading meters is borne by all of the utility’s customers, homeowners who opt-out should recognize that they will need to pay for the option to have their meters read manually. It would be unfair to expect neighbors who have embraced the automated system to pay the added costs of reading meters of the people who have chosen to opt-out.

These costs may be considerable because of the inherent inefficiency of reading a few meters scattered throughout the service area.

Typically, opt-out programs result in a one-time charge to the homeowner that covers the initial cost to remove and replace the meter and an ongoing charge per reading to cover the added cost of sending someone to read the meter manually.

Some examples of opt-out proposals include:

n city of Penticton, Bc – at the time of writing this article, the city was developing an opt-out program that would offset the added cost of manual meter reading of “$25 for an isolated spot, and $6 for a manual read as part of a route.”11

n city of Glendale, cA – “city council unanimously voted on charging customers a fee of $59 per billing period for having electric and water smart meters with the radios turned off.”12

n central Maine Power, ME – “a) smart meter with transmitter off will carry an initial charge of $20.00 and a monthly charge of $10.50; b) existing analog meter option will carry the initial charge of $40.00 and a monthly charge of $12.00.”13

conclusionIt’s not a stretch to make the claim that the proliferation of wireless technologies has changed the world. Think of your life before cell phones. or looking at it another way, when was the last time you used a payphone? Smart phones, satellite navigation systems, wireless tablets, remote controllers keep us connected, without a physical connection.

Similarly, radio frequency-based systems have taken hold and changed the way utilities provide safe and cost-effective service to their constituents; and, to repeat the conclusion of the Health canada study that is echoed in many other such reports, “exposure to RF energy from smart meters does not pose a public health risk.”14

references1. “The Scott Report, AMR Deployments in North America, 4th Quarter 2011”, Howard A. Scott PhD, © 2012.

2. United States Environmental Protection Agency, last updated on Friday, July 08, 2011, http://www.epa.gov/radiation/understand/ionize_nonionize.html.

3. United States Environmental Protection Agency, last updated on Friday, July 08, 2011, http://www.epa.gov/radiation/understand/ionize_nonionize.html.

4. Titze, I.R. (1994). Principles of Voice Production, Prentice Hall (currently published by NCVS.org), ISBN 978-0-13-717893-3.

5. My NASA Data, © NASA, https://mynasadata.larc.nasa.gov/images/EM_Spectrum3-new.jpg.

6. “Wireless Quick Facts, Mid-Year Figures”, CTIA - The Wireless Association, http://www.ctia.org/media/industry_info/index.cfm/AID/10323.

7.“U.S. cell phones, tablets outnumber Americans”, David Goldman @CNNMoneyTech, October 12, 2011: 12:06 PM ET, http://money.cnn.com/2011/10/12/technology/cellphones_outnumber_americans/index.htm.

8. Richard Tell Associates, Inc., © 2008.

9. Health Canada, February 12, 2012, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/prod/meters-compteurs-eng.php.

10. Each 20 minute test was conducted on April 10, 2012. The device used is an Electrosmog Meter, Model ED65, manufactured by Cornet Microsystems Inc.

11. “City explores digital metering alternatives”, By Simone Blais, © Penticton Western News, March 8, 2012, http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/news/141932963.html.

12. “Glendale city council votes on smart meter opt-out option”, Glendale, Calif., March 8, 2012, © Electric Light & Power, http://www.elp.com/elp/en-us/index/display/elp-article-tool-template.articles.electric-light-power.meetering.2012.March.Glendale_city_council_votes_on_smart_meter_opt-out_option.html.

13. “MPUC Decides Smart Meter Investigation”, Maine Public Utilities Commission, Augusta, Maine, May 17, 2011, http://www.maine.gov/tools/whatsnew/index.php?topic=puc-pressreleases&id=245859&v=article08.

14. Health Canada, February 12, 2012, http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/

hl-vs/iyh-vsv/prod/meters-compteurs-eng.php.

results of test at neptune’s engineering facility (microwatts per square centimeter, or µW/cm2)10

indoor test

meter farm test

Normal Range 0.01 to 0.20 0.01 to 0.20

Peak level 1.1 7.6

RF Sensor

WP RF HEAlTH EFFEcTS 05.12 © copyright 2012, Neptune Technology Group Inc. Neptune is a registered trademark of Neptune Technology Group Inc.

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