Smart, Sustainable Water Management for Galveston with BlueEdge™

Through the Badger Meter BlueEdge™ portfolio of solutions, Galveston has transformed its water management approach and enhanced efficiency, conservation and customer service.

Extreme Weather Exposes Network Vulnerabilities

Galveston’s water system has expanded over time to accommodate the city’s 32-mile stretch, but extreme weather events have exposed vulnerabilities in the infrastructure. During the Winter Storm Uri in February 2021, the city experienced widespread pipe bursts in homes, rapidly depleting its water supply.

“Our system was bleeding out. We could not get enough water onto the island as fast as it was pumping out through all the broken pipes,” recalled Brian Maxwell, Galveston’s City Manager. “We were sending out firefighters, police officers, public works guys, sanitation guys—anybody that could work a wrench—to try to cut water off to these homes.”

Recognizing the need for a more resilient and efficient system, city leaders sought a solution that would allow remote monitoring and control of water usage, improving response times and reducing water loss during crises.

Building a Resilient Water Network

Galveston set its sights on a major water meter upgrade that would provide an energy-efficient, accurate and cost-effective way to read water meters. The city implemented E-Series^® Ultrasonic Plus meters, equipped with remote-actuated flow restriction valves, and BEACON^® Software as a Service (SaaS). This technology provides real-time data, allowing the city to monitor leaks, control water flow and improve operational efficiency.

“The main reason for going with E-Series Ultrasonic Plus meters was not only our ability to shut down residential meters in the case of a weather event to conserve water and prevent catastrophic loss,” said Genny Kovacevich, meter service supervisor for the City of Galveston, “but also because the BEACON platform allows us to be proactive in detecting issues such as reverse flow events and respond quickly.”

By delivering more frequent data, the utility can quickly identify potential problems—enabling the city to increase water conservation efforts and operate the water system more efficiently. Billing software upgrades have also improved billing accuracy, helped manage leaks better and enhanced proactive system monitoring.

In areas where the E-Series Ultrasonic Plus meters are installed, an integrated valve allows the water utility to remotely connect and disconnect service using the cellular advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system. As a result, Galveston is more resilient in the face of extreme weather events like freezes or hurricanes. Additionally, if a home or business owner reports a leak, the water utility can now address the problem remotely, without having to send a technician into the field to turn the water off while the source of a leak is found and repaired.

Enhancing Customer Engagement and Conservation

One of the most impactful aspects of the technology implementation is the EyeOnWater^® Consumer Engagement App, which empowers residents to monitor their own water usage in real time.

“They get to see a lot more detailed information and make more informed decisions about their water usage,” said Brittany Duhon-Leblanc, utility billing manager for the City of Galveston. “This is especially helpful to residents who don’t live here full time—they could be gone for a month and a toilet could be running, and nobody would be the wiser.”

Mayor Craig Brown emphasized the importance of community involvement. “It’s very important for our residents to feel connected to their water. With the EyeOnWater app, it gives them a sense of control, allowing them to monitor and conserve water more efficiently,” he said.

Expanding Capabilities with BlueEdge

Beyond metering, Galveston has expanded its smart water initiatives—incorporating water quality monitoring and pressure sensors throughout the distribution network and to enhance its wastewater treatment process.

“Galveston started with just the meter project, and it really transformed into a BlueEdge program,” said Ava Cares, utilities operation and maintenance manager for the City of Galveston. “We’ve incorporated water quality monitoring and pressure monitoring throughout our system. Before, we relied solely on our pump stations and elevated storage tanks. Now, we have over 15 pressure monitoring systems scattered throughout the island.”

The city also utilizes PIPEMINDER-ONE Standard data loggers for pressure monitoring and MetriNet bollards for water quality analysis. These technologies, deployed at strategic sites throughout the city, provide valuable insights into system performance—detecting issues such as water hammer effects and salinity fluctuations that could impact infrastructure and water treatment processes. This information is fed directly to BEACON and is viewable alongside pressure and consumption data from the meter.

“[BEACON is] the eyes and ears of our system outside of our own internal SCADA system,” said Ben Lirette, water treatment compliance manager for the City of Galveston.

With access to real-time information, operators can dose chemicals more accurately and know when to flush lines if needed. The data is also beneficial for Galveston’s water and wastewater master plan: BEACON data is exported and placed into water models so operators can see the true diurnal curve of the system, with the peaks and valleys of consumption.

The Future of Smart Water Management

Galveston's successful adoption of BlueEdge solutions has not only enhanced operational efficiency but also provided peace of mind to city officials and residents alike.

“I have loved all the data we’ve been able to receive from the water quality and pressure monitoring devices,” Cares said. “We have a much better understanding of what our customers are experiencing, and it allows us to be more proactive in maintaining system pressure, water quality and overall operations.”

This project demonstrates the power of actionable data, and it shows how forward-thinking utilities can move toward proactive management of their water system, becoming more resilient over time.