DATE: July 21, 2025
TO: President and Members of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID) Board of Directors
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, District Manager
Marlene Suhashini, Assistant District Manager
FROM: Andrew Brozyna, Public Works Director
Zaheed Danish, Public Works Maintenance Manager
Gonzalo Larios, Public Works Maintenance Superintendent DEPARTMENT: Public Works
SUBJECT: SOLE SOURCE PURCHASE OF SENSUS LARGE WATER
METERS FROM THIRKETTLE CORPORATION, dba AQUA-
METRIC SALES COMPANY, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
$150,000
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board of Directors of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (District Board) approve the sole source purchase of approximately ten (10) large water meters for an amount not to exceed $150,000 from Thirkettle Corporation (dba Aqua-Metric Sales Company).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Ensuring that water meters are functioning properly and replaced at the end of their useful life is a proactive measure to guarantee that unaccounted water loss is kept to a minimum. This is typically done by monitoring the age of the meters, testing for accuracy, and then replacing meters when inaccurate or in danger of possible failure due to age.
The purchase and replacement of approximately ten (10) large water meters will also enable EMID to recover costs due to inaccurate meters and recapture water loss.
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS
The Maintenance Division schedules the replacement of water meters to coincide with the end of the meter’s useful life and prior to it actually failing. On average, the useful life of a Sensus meter is approximately 20 years.
Purchasing and replacing aging water meters leads to recovery of revenue that would be lost to water meter inaccuracy and also minimizes water loss through detection of unaddressed leaks. This purchase will be comprised of meters planned for immediate installation as well as reserved meter inventory for planned future replacements.
The Water Distribution System uses various sizes of meters depending upon the needs of the location. The largest meters range in size from 4-inch meters to 10-inch meters.
This order will include 6-inch and 8-inch meters.
The EMID’s water distribution system exclusively utilizes Sensus water meters. These types of meters are designed to be more efficient and are compatible with the EMID’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. A substitute product does not exist.
Sensus meters can only be ordered from Thirkettle Corporation, dba Aqua-Metric Sales Company, a sole distributor for the Northern California region, with offices located in Sacramento, California.
The EMID Purchasing Policy requires that purchases over $50,000 are approved by the District Board. Staff recommends that the District Board authorize the sole source purchase of approximately ten (10) large water meters from Thirkettle Corporation, dba Aqua-Metric Sales Company for an amount not to exceed $150,000.
CEQA
The resolution approving the purchase qualifies for CEQA’s common sense exemption, as CEQA applies only to projects with potential significant environmental impact. Since this activity poses no significant environmental effect, it is not subject to CEQA (CEQA Guideline Section 15061(b)(3)).
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding in the amount of $150,000 is allocated and available for this purchase in the FY 2024-2025 Equipment Replacement Fund budget (Account No. 408-0110-413-4385).
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Facilities and Infrastructure
Innovation and Sustainability
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 – Sole Source Letter