Tarentum is being lauded for its efforts to improve efficiency across borough electric and water monitoring systems.
It was among recipients of the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence, announced Wednesday. The recognition is for information technology, specifically, the borough’s integrated smart utility and infrastructure monitoring system.
Highlights of the new program include layered assessment for better situational awareness. Advanced metering infrastructure across electric and water systems is combined with GIS mapping, acoustic leak detection, pressure monitoring and real-time alerting.
The system helps provide immediate notifications to staff for power outages, water loss and line breaks, while also keeping the community alerted.
Manager Dwight Boddorf said in a post on the borough’s website that the work took years of integration and investment, along with much trial and error.
The award is sponsored through the state Department of Community and Economic Development.