Sturgis approves contract for new meters

Sturgis city commissioners this week approved a $2.4 million contract with a Minnesota-based company to implement a distribution technology analysis for a new water/electricity metering system.
The city is replacing 7,200 residential, commercial and industrial utility meters throughout the city utility system. New meters will use radio frequency to transmit data to remote collectors and then to city hall, where usage is recorded for analysis and billing.
Municipal officials said data generated by the new equipment will allow users to track their utility usage to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The information should also help the city analyze its utility demands and right-size equipment to meet those needs.
The contract was awarded to Cooper Power Systems.