Raybern Consulting partnered with a Utility in New York to identify and resolve data discrepancies, enhancing infrastructure management.
The Utility has grappled with high water loss rates, at times exceeding 50% of total supply. Despite investments in advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) and leak detection initiatives, loss rates remained high, carrying financial and compliance implications. Seeing an opportunity to derive more value from these technology investments, the Village engaged Raybern Consulting to perform an in-depth data accuracy audit.
Leveraging expertise honed over years of smart utility engagements, the Raybern team conducted interviews, analyzed billing and meter data, and interfaced with technology vendors. Their findings revealed multiple data discrepancies stemming from meter configurations, multiplier applications, billing practices, and AMI system integrations.
Armed with these insights, Raybern outlined a tactical plan to scrub and synchronize data across platforms. Beyond data corrections, they provided guidance on customer communications and long-term data governance strategies tailored to the Village’s size and capabilities.
Through the engagement, Raybern empowered the Utility to:
Achieve enhanced visibility into water loss contributors, separating real from apparent loss
Rectify data inaccuracies compromising loss calculations and billing operations
Implement sustainable data management practices for better infrastructure control
Optimize return on investment from existing AMI and billing systems
Maintain regulatory compliance and consumer trust through accurate tracking and billing
This project exemplifies Raybern Consulting’ mission of guiding utilities to maximize the value of their technology investments. With sound data as the foundation, the Utility now has the tools to make informed decisions about infrastructure investments, rate structures, and growth planning for decades to come. Raybern stands ready to partner with forward-thinking utilities across the country to drive similar operational transformation.