With a loan from the State of South Dakota approved, the City of Dell Rapids can now move forward in installing the remaining 1,100 automatic water meters in homes citywide.

This new type of water meter allows the city to monitor spikes in water usage that may result from unknown leaks, thus avoiding extra, unwanted charges.

With the current system, city workers visit meters monthly to read meters, whereas now City Hall will be able to quickly check on abnormalities with more immediacy.

These new meters gauge the amount of water being used and are connected to radio boxes that then send signals to the software on a City Hall computer that reads the signal and notifies the user of up-to-date water use.

The radio boxes need to be close to ground level to effectively send signals to City Hall.

Toward the end of 2010, the city received approval for a starter kit from Badger Meter, which included a receiver for the city water tower and installation of needed software at City Hall.

This starter kit, which was installed in mid-2011, also included 100 meters that were used throughout the city in residences. “This was our test to see if the system worked for us,” city administrator Justin Weiland said. “We tested the system, and it works really well.”

To purchase the remaining 1,100 meters, the city applied for a loan with a state fund, and Gov. Dennis Daugaard announced last month the state Board of Water and Natural Resources has approved a $300,000 low-interest loan from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to replace water meters in Dell Rapids.

The $300,000 loan amount includes $30,000 in principal forgiveness, which reduces the repayment amount to $270,000. “This loan will help Dell Rapids purchase and install new city water meters that will benefit the community by providing more accurate readings of actual water usage.”

The project involves replacing about 650 water meters in Dell Rapids and installing remote transmitters on 500 existing meters. The estimated cost of the project is $363,583. The loan terms are 2.25 percent interest for 10 years.

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Program provides low-interest loans for public drinking water system projects. One of the program requirements is that some of the funds be provided as a subsidy. Principal forgiveness is a subsidy option that results in a reduced loan repayment amount for the borrower.

“Making grant and loan funds available for these projects will result in better drinking water, other improved utility services for residents and enhanced protection of the environment,” Daugaard said.

The city will now bid out for contractors to take care of the installation of the more than 1,000 water meters in Dells homes. Weiland said the city is now collecting specifications on how to go about the installation from other communities who use this type of meter. “Hopefully by the end of the summer, every property that has water service in Dell Rapids will have radio-read on their property,” he said.