DeKalb County, GA

1. The Challenge

DeKalb County Watershed Management needed to modernize aging water meter infrastructure across a large and diverse service area. Legacy metering technology limited data visibility, affected meter reading and billing reliability, and made it more difficult to quickly identify leaks and water loss.

The County required a comprehensive solution that could support the replacement and upgrade of more than 150,000 residential and commercial water meters while maintaining accurate field data, integrating with existing utility systems, and minimizing disruption to customers.

2. Project Drivers

To address these needs, DeKalb County partnered with Envocore to implement a countywide water meter replacement and Advanced Metering Infrastructure program.

• Replace aging water meter infrastructure
• Improve meter accuracy and billing reliability
• Reduce water loss and identify leaks faster
• Modernize legacy metering technology
• Increase operational efficiency through automation
• Improve system monitoring and customer service

3. Envocore’s Solution

Envocore delivered a comprehensive water meter replacement and AMI deployment program that included:

• Deployment of Sensus water meters
• Installation and integration of Sensus Meter Interface Units, or MXUs
• Integration with the County’s fixed-network AMI communications infrastructure
• Residential and commercial water meter installations
• Rehabilitation of residential service lines where required
• GPS-enabled asset tracking and field data collection
• Utility billing system integration and data migration
• Dedicated program and construction management

Envocore coordinated high-volume field activities over four years while maintaining accurate installation records and supporting a seamless transition of meter and customer data into the County’s utility systems. Dedicated program and construction management helped maintain production, address varying field conditions, and ensure consistent quality throughout the deployment.

4. Project Results

The countywide program was completed on time and within budget. The upgraded system provided DeKalb County with improved meter reading accuracy, enhanced leak detection capabilities, stronger system monitoring, and greater operational efficiency.

By transitioning to fixed-network AMI technology, the County gained the ability to collect meter information remotely and obtain more timely visibility into customer water usage without relying exclusively on manual meter reads.

5. By the Numbers

49 months
Project duration

150,000+
Water meters replaced and upgraded

$11 million
Contract value

On time and within budget
Project completion