CONNECTIONS

SPRING 2019

ACE19 is almost here, and we're excited to showcase the latest ways that you can win your day for your water utility. Come join us in Denver, June 9-12, at Exhibit 2703, and you'll see how Neptune^® continues to innovate with technology designed for the business of water.

Our mission is to be your most valued partner. Our goal is to make it easier than ever to tackle the issues that matter the most to you. From the water meter, to the data collection system, to the software you use, our solutions are engineered so that you're always in the driver's seat – even if you never have to roll another truck.

As always, our latest innovations are designed to be easy to use, and to help your water utility make the most of your existing investments. Our R900^® Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solution makes it simple to deploy fixed network AMI that you don't have to monitor or maintain. Our new software platform, Neptune^® 360™, makes it easy to manage, share, and secure your utility's meter-related data. We'll give you a preview a little later in this edition of CONNECTIONS. At ACE19, we will also unveil the newest addition to the MACH 10^® family of meters. With no moving parts, you'll have accurate measurement for the life of the meter. Come and see exactly why a better meter matters.

We're excited about our technology, and we know it's only as good as it is useful. We've designed solutions so you can be confident in the decisions you make every day – starting with the decision to go with Neptune. Thank you for allowing us to help win your day. I look forward to seeing you soon at Exhibit 2703 at ACE!

Don Deemer, President, Neptune Technology Group Inc.

The City of Frisco, Texas is young, vibrant, and growing. This tech-savvy, water-conscious community in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area became the ideal location to implement innovative, migratable Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). In 2012, Kevin Grant, Assistant Director Water Operations for the Public Works Department, was pleased with the investment Frisco had made in its Neptune^® metering system. Reading via mobile routes, the City was capturing monthly readings for nearly 50,000 connections with over 99 percent accuracy. Grant saw the opportunity to do more, especially considering it took two meter readers nearly all month, each month, to collect a single reading for each account.

Beginning in 2014, Frisco began installing R900^® Gateway fixed network data collectors on water storage tanks, lift stations, and weather stations across nine "zones". These collectors capture consumption data from the same end-points as before, now at 15-minute intervals. As of April 2019, this information is collected from 80 percent of the meter population. "It's a win-win," said Grant, "because we can still use mobile and handheld readings as a backup."

"Neptune R900 technology has allowed us to make the transition to AMI over time," said Grant. "By not having to change out everything at once, we can continue to do business just like we do every day." He further stated that the only feasible way to transition from mobile Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) to fixed network AMI was to leverage the City's existing technology.

"Water's only going to get more expensive, and we need to conserve as much as possible," Grant added. "Right now, 90 percent of our customers have automatic irrigation systems. Our end goal is to empower our customer to see exactly what their water usage is, so that they can set their own budget – and save water and money."

How can water utilities meet the challenges of managing IT infrastructure, guarding against cyberattacks, and making sense of the large volumes of data they collect? Neptune^® 360™ has the answer.

Using the Neptune 360 cloud-based platform, your utility can gain a deeper understanding of meter-related information, while also managing, sharing, and securing your data more easily than ever. With the ability to access that data at any time, from anywhere, you can make faster, more informed decisions in order to meet goals and objectives and plan for the future.

As your utility's needs change you often require new technology or different capabilities. A software application that is designed to grow along with you can be a major advantage. The move from mobile meter reading to an AMI network, and beyond, can be virtually seamless. And a modular platform like Neptune 360 makes it simple to turn on new features as your needs evolve.

Ultimately, your utility can spend less time and money on specialized devices and managing networks, while still being ready to grow into future needs. With technology designed specifically for the business of water, you can concentrate on job one: providing your consumers with clean drinking water. Learn more about Neptune's SaaS solution.

Neptune celebrates a century in Canada in 2019! We're proud of our team, who works hard every day to help customers win their day with end-to-end Smart Water metering and utility services. Now with ten decades of water utility service experience – and project offices from coast-to-coast – we're recognized as Canada's leading field services provider.

Neptune commenced operations in Canada June 1, 1919, under the name  NEPTUNE METER COMPANY LIMITED, located at 1197 King St. West, Toronto. The first water meter manufactured in Canada was delivered to the City of Leaside (now part of Toronto) on August 1, 1919.

In the late 1980s, Neptune pioneered the concept of universal metering in Canada, helping utilities transition from flat-rate billing to a more accurate, equitable system of user pay. Today, Neptune Canada serves as an integrated supplier of meters and water AMR and AMI communication systems. We also provide installation services, operation and maintenance, specialized large meter programs, meter reading, public communication programs, and customer service.

Our consultative approach to project management services enables us to develop individual solutions to meet the specific business needs of our customers. Neptune Canada is here to help water utilities by providing leading-edge service tools and project management methodology to support service delivery. Our water utility customers have a turnkey business partner for all aspects of water metering and services needs back by an established track record of successful hands-free metering programs.

Today we celebrate 100 years, 2 million-plus water metering endpoints installed across Canada, and more water meter projects and testimonial letters than any other service provider in Canada. Technology. Integration. Services. We do it all.

During the month of January, Neptune became even more of a force for change, including more than $9,000 in coins alone! Launching a company wide Change War competition, Neptune employees in the U.S. and Canada raised more than $26,000 to be donated to Water For People.

Competing in department teams, 3-gallon water containers were placed in each office to collect the money. Coins counted towards teams' positive totals, but teams could sabotage each other and lessen the competition's total by putting bills in other departments' containers or donating online. Donations were calculated per capita by team. In the end, the Human Resources team took first place.

Working in countries around the world, Water For People helps establish creative, customized, and sustainable solutions that provide clean drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene education. As part of our mission to bring people together, educate, and inform about the vital resource of water, we are proud to support Water For People through Neptune CONNECT.