City of Jal Modernizes Water Infrastructure with Sustainability Partners’ Advanced Metering Solution
Table of contents
Overview
Founded in 1917 and known for its historic downtown, the City of Jal is a small community in Lea County. In this drought-prone southeastern region of New Mexico, summer temperatures can exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and the city enforces mandatory water restrictions every year from May 15 through September 15.
In July 2024, the city partnered with Sustainability Partners to deploy a comprehensive Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution through its Metering as a Service offering.
Sustainability Partners is a Public Benefit Company that funds, deploys, and maintains essential infrastructure for state and local government. Its Infrastructure as a Service® model converts infrastructure upgrades into a monthly usage-based service requiring zero upfront capital.
Results & Impact
Initial Outcomes
- Approximately 1,000 ultrasonic smart water meters deployed across Jal’s water system over a three-month rollout beginning July 2024
- Near real-time usage data transmitted to the city's data collection system, replacing manual meter reading routes
- Leak detection analytics in active use, enabling staff to identify and address losses sooner
- Accurate readings captured across all flow levels, including low-flow usage previously missed by legacy meters
- Integration with the city’s existing billing system completed without disruption to customer service
- Installation and system integration delivered by Resource Wise and L&T Services
Operational Impact
- Operational efficiency improved through automated remote reads, replacing manual meter reading routes
- Billing accuracy strengthened, reducing the risk of disputes and revenue loss from low-flow undercounting
- Customers gained direct visibility into their own water use, supporting conservation and public trust
- The city retains full use and control of the AMI system under Metering as a Service, without upfront capital expense, preserving capital for other critical needs
The Challenge
Like many small municipalities, Jal’s legacy water metering system offered limited visibility into customer usage and system performance. Without timely, accurate data, the city struggled to identify leaks quickly, capture low-flow usage, and proactively manage water loss. Manual meter reads added inefficiency for staff and increased the risk of billing inaccuracies.
By the time Jal turned to metering, it had already made substantial investments to secure that resource. In a May 2022 presentation to the New Mexico Legislative Finance Committee, the city reported spending roughly $11 million on water infrastructure over the preceding four years — $2.3 million to litigate water rights in the Jal Basin, $8 million on new water lines and a booster station, and $1 million on tank storage, alongside five test wells and three production wells drilled.
Modernizing the city’s water meters, however, sat outside that capital stack, and Jal needed a path that didn't draw further on its capital budget.
“Our water department was having efficiency issues, read issues, and low-flow readings. When we met with Sustainability Partners, they were able to come up with solutions and help us address those challenges. Sustainability Partners has been great to work with — any issues that come up, we can contact someone immediately, and they get right back to us. It’s a great partnership.”
Wesley Hooper, City Manager, City of Jal
The Solution
Sustainability Partners delivered a comprehensive AMI deployment through Metering as a Service. Sustainability Partners procured, deployed, and continues to provide lifecycle care for approximately 1,000 ultrasonic smart water meters that remotely transmit near real-time water usage data.
The result is a resilient, future-ready water metering system engineered to perform reliably in Jal’s extreme desert environment while supporting accurate billing, conservation, and proactive system management.
Implementation & Investment
The City of Jal entered into a Master Utility Service Agreement with Sustainability Partners to provide AMI water meters as a service. The city pays a predictable monthly fee for the AMI system rather than carrying the upfront capital expense of a traditional metering procurement. Sustainability Partners retains responsibility for funding, deploying, and maintaining the infrastructure for the life of the agreement, including replacement of equipment as needed.
Deployment began in July 2024 and was planned as a three-month rollout, executed in close coordination with city staff.
“This system gives us some power we didn't have before. Being able to track usage accurately, notify customers and the utility when there's a problem, and bill correctly is critical. New Mexico is in a drought — if you're not monitoring your water system, you're doing a disservice to your community. Implementing AMI is not just a step, but a leap toward ensuring sustainable water management in Jal.”
Stephen Aldridge, Mayor, City of Jal
Replicating Jal’s successes
Jal’s challenges are not unique. Small municipalities across drought-affected and water-stressed regions face the same combination of aging infrastructure, capital constraints, and rising expectations for service accuracy and conservation.
For eligible state and local government buyers, Sustainability Partners’ AMI offering is accessible nationally through TXShare’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) cooperative contract.
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