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Show NSL Water Meters Are 6070 Right By MARK D. MICKELSON NORTH SALT LAKE A survey of about 100 North Salt Lake residential water meters, done in early December to check water flow and pressure, press-ure, has turned up only a 60-70 percent accuracy rate, according accord-ing to the city's water supervisor. super-visor. WATERMASTER Ray Ras-mussen Ras-mussen Tuesday said the results re-sults of the survey show several sever-al meters within acceptable accuracy limits, several others that have completely shut down and a handful of older meters that are only 60-70 percent per-cent accurate. Community Consultants, a Provo firm contracted out to complete the survey, feels that North Salt Lake should go through the city and replace ft lot of their meters. Mr. Rasmussen explained that a majority of the existing meters are 30-35 years old, and that many can no longer function func-tion properly. EVEN IF the city decides to repair the meters, Mr. Rasmussen Ras-mussen said they could never get them completely accurate again. He explained that the city is losing 340,526,000 gallons of water per year because of the inaccurate meters. In dollars, the loss is estimated at $15,459. . HE SAID Community Consultants Con-sultants made a list of the locations loca-tions where meters had stopped stop-ped altogether and where existing ex-isting meters were below standard stan-dard accuracy levels. In addition, addi-tion, the Provo company made 25 additional suggestions, he said, as to how the city can correct the problem. First of all. Community Consultants has agreed to repair re-pair the inaccurate meters to again meet set standards of high and low flow and to adjust the meter pressure for accurate accu-rate readings. BECAUSE OF the high costs of repair, Mr. Rasmussen said it would probably be better and more economical for the city to simply buy new meters. He said Community Consultants will repair the meters for about $30 piece, whereas North Salt Lake could buy new ones for less than that. He said the more common smaller meters cannot be accurately accu-rately adjusted any way, only the larger ones. NO DECISIONS have been made yet, according to Rasmussen, Ras-mussen, who said the city council must meet first to adopt a plan. He did say that in order to make the city's water department depart-ment self-sufficient, which it isn't now, the city will have to be divided into two separate divisions those living from 350 East up into the hi'ls and those living from 350 East and below. HE SAID residents from 350 East upward may have to pay more per thousand gallons over the monthly 7,000 fallon limit. Homeowners there would pay $6.50, as do those below, but their cost per thousand gallons over the minimum would be 38 cents, rather than the 32 cents charged to those living below. Mr. Rasmussen explained that even though people living on the hill don't feel they should pay more for water service, ser-vice, the city's cost to pump the water up there is definitely more. |
