Upgrading to gas Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is a crucial part of digitally transforming a gas or combination utility. It enables these utilities to leverage new efficiencies and opportunities while improving safety and long-term planning.

The largest water utility in New Mexico is on a mission to ensure this kind of water service interruption doesn’t happen. They’re leading the way in continuous improvement by transitioning to smart digital solutions.

Located in the heart of Washington State’s Tri-Cities—also known as “Washington Wine Country”—Benton Public Utility District (PUD) serves more than 50,000 customers across Kennewick, Finley, Benton City, Prosser and outlying areas. While residents of this “year-round paradise” are known for a sense of fun and adventure, they want their electric utility to be serious about reliable and efficient service.

Transitioning away from a traditional distribution model in a territory covering nearly 400,000 electric and natural gas customers isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Technology has helped the utility seize the opportunity for new grid controls while ensuring quality and reliability as demand evolves.

The City of Evans is located about an hour north of Denver. With approximately 20,000 residents and counting, the city is growing so fast that its newly-built Prairie Heights Middle School is already at capacity. Challenges with meter reads and billing will only get bigger as the population grows.

While water utilities are balancing daily operations, they’re also facing wide-ranging challenges that makes strategic planning, funding and technology even more important. Short-term solutions are no longer an option – solution longevity is a priority.

India has a water distribution problem, brought about by climate change, rapid industrialization, a growing population and a water supply network that has not kept up with demand. Currently, the water supply is often rationed across different districts by “key turners,” who turn it off for hours a day.

Nestled in between Lake Lanier and the Appalachian Mountains, about an hour north of Atlanta, is the Etowah Water & Sewer Authority (the Authority). Chartered in 1980 with a mission to improve the quality of life for its customers, community and the environment through proper management of water resources, the Authority serves 5,400 consumers and runs 1.5 million gallons of water per day through 175 miles of pipe.

This paper examines five critical steps gas utilities should take to build a communications infrastructure that will deliver immediate benefits and provide the foundation for future growth and technology advancements.