Advanced Metering Infrastructure | City of Kawartha Lakes

The City of Kawartha Lakes is modernizing its water metering system to improve efficiency, reliability, and long-term sustainability. This work supports the City’s future transition to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) technology, a system that will securely send water meter readings directly to the City’s network.

Currently, water meters are read manually or by drive-by collection. Once AMI is in place, radios connected to each water meter will send readings automatically to a network of receivers across the City. The data will then be securely transmitted to the Utility Billing Division for processing.

While AMI is not yet active, this project is focused on preparing the City’s water system for that future capability.

AMI Readiness Project

The City’s contractor, Wamco, is completing upgrades to water meter radio transmitters across the community as part of the AMI Readiness Project.

This work is being done in conjunction with the City’s Water Meter Replacement Project, which is replacing older water meters and radios with new AMI-capable equipment. Although both projects are running at the same time and share the same contractor, they are separate initiatives. The Water Meter Replacement Project focuses on both meter and radio replacements, while the AMI Readiness Project focuses only on upgrading existing radios that are not AMI-compatible.

Wamco is working through a list of properties provided by the City for this project.

No letters are being mailed.
Work is quick and typically done outside the home.
Water service will not be interrupted.
No appointment is required in most cases.
If access is needed (for example, if the radio is behind a locked gate or obstructed), a notice will be left asking the homeowner to contact Utility Billing to schedule an appointment.

What to Expect

Reducing Our Footprint

Automatic meter readings reduce vehicle trips for in-person or drive-by readings, cutting fuel use and emissions.

Efficient and Convenient

Fewer site visits mean less disruption for residents and a simpler process for everyone.

Smarter Water Use

Access to detailed usage data will help residents track and manage their own water use over time. Insight into daily water use helps residents spot trends, reduce waste, and protect our shared resources.

Early Detection and Response

The AMI system uses hourly data and automatic alerts to flag irregular water use, allowing the City to investigate and resolve issues before they grow.

How AMI collects readings

Water Meter and SmartPoint Radio

Each property has a water meter and a radio transmitter (SmartPoint) that records and transmits water usage.

Lindsay Water Tower Data Collector

The main collector is located on the Lindsay Water Tower. It receives a low-power radio signal from the radio and securely relays the information to the City’s system.

Billing and Data Management

The City receives, stores, and analyzes this information through secure software. The data is used for billing purposes, removing the need for manual or drive-by meter readings in the future.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please email watermeters@kawarthalakes.ca