Water utilities nationwide are increasingly selecting composite meters pending provisions to the Safe Water Drinking Act that will take effect in 2014, according to sales data from Sensus, a leading utility infrastructure company. The composite water meters meet all guidelines and are stronger and more durable than traditional bronze meters.

New legislation reduces the permissible amount of lead in water distribution system products from as much as 8 percent to no more than 0.25 percent for wetted surfaces of pipe, pipe fittings and plumbing fittings and fixtures and to 0.2 percent for solder and flux. Sensus addressed lead-related concerns in the U.S. by introducing the zero-lead iPERL™ and accuSTREAM™ residential meters in 2010 and 2011, respectively, as part of its AquaSense™ intelligent water management solution. AquaSense unites the Sensus FlexNet™ two-way communications network with advanced meters, software and services to help water utilities boost operational efficiency and customer engagement.

“After more than 100 years of shipping bronze meters, we recognize this shift toward composite meters as a clear commitment by our water utility customers to install meters that are strong, durable and contain zero lead,” said Doug McCall, director of marketing at Sensus. “We are proud to develop innovative products like composite meters that enable utilities to comply with pending legislation without sacrificing quality, dependability or accuracy.”

Composite alloys are made from a blend of plastic and fiberglass and have greatly surpassed all durability and strength standards and resist corrosion from chemicals used to make water drinkable. Sensus offers a video about composite strength testing on its web site.

About Sensus

Sensus is a leading utility infrastructure company offering smart meters, communication systems, software and services for the electric, gas, and water industries. Sensus technology helps utilities drive operational efficiency and customer engagement with applications that include advanced meter reading, data acquisition, demand response, distribution automation, home area networking and outdoor lighting control. Customers worldwide trust the innovation, quality and reliability of Sensus solutions for the intelligent use and conservation of energy and water. Learn more at www.sensus.com.

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