Just ten miles from Florida’s southeastern coast, the City of Margate faced a challenge that threatened its reputation and bottom line. With 17,000 water customers and a legacy of reliable service, the city’s decision to move away from its trusted Neptune meters led to a cascade of issues—faulty readings, frustrated customers, and missed revenue targets.
For years, Margate had relied on Neptune T-10 meters paired with third-party endpoints. But after a management shift, the city transitioned to a new provider. The result? A batch of defective meters that produced inconsistent readings and forced utility staff into time-consuming corrections and back-billing. Customer confidence plummeted, and internal morale suffered.
By late 2022, Utility Accounting Manager Jackie Earll and Assistant Director for Utilities Marta Reczko knew they needed a reset. They turned to Ferguson, a Neptune distribution partner, to explore returning to the metering system they once trusted. A three-month pilot program confirmed their instincts—Neptune’s MACH 10 meters with cellular endpoints delivered consistent, accurate data.
The full transition began in July 2023. Neptune and Ferguson worked hand-in-hand with Margate to install nearly 17,000 meters in just over a year. The cellular endpoints, while initially a concern due to cost, proved to be a smart investment. They eliminated the need for additional infrastructure and significantly reduced maintenance demands.
Operational efficiency soared. Billing cycles that once took a full week now wrap up in under four hours. The utility saved a full-time position and cut 20–30 hours of weekly overtime. Most importantly, Margate recovered its lost revenue and restored customer trust. By January 2024, billed consumption had returned to pre-crisis levels.
The clarity provided by Neptune 360’s data visualization tools empowered staff to proactively address anomalies in water usage, preventing surprise bills and improving customer service. As Earll noted, “Within a year, most customers will forget that whole bad scenario and their confidence in our billing will be back up.”
Neighboring utilities have taken notice. Margate’s turnaround story has sparked interest from other cities eager to learn from their experience. Reczko credits not just the technology, but the people behind it: “Not only is the product reliable, but reliable people are picking up the phone and taking care of us right away.”
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Explore the full case study to learn more about the challenges they faced, the strategic decisions they made, and the measurable impact of their transition to Neptune.
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