Utility to assess data system

Central Arkansas Water will enter a nearly $50,000 contract with an engineering firm to assess the computer system that gathers and analyzes data from the utility's treatment and distribution facilities.

Although the contract was below the $50,000 threshold that requires the utility board's approval, officials said they wanted to present the contract for a vote anyway.

The board approved the contract Thursday afternoon with no objection.

Westin Engineering Inc. will spend three weeks evaluating the system, which was installed in 1995.

Utility officials said the current system includes components that have not changed since installation.

"The fact of the matter is that the hardware and much of the software is very, very dated," Chief Executive Officer Graham Rich told the board.

Although the current system is functional, officials said the coding language the system uses was written by one person in 1995, and the company has been dependent upon that person when the system malfunctions.

Board secretary/treasurer Roby Robertson, after initially raising questions about the contract, said he was concerned that the utility was so dependent on one person to solve problems.

Whatever recommended changes or updates the company comes up with would be pursued in another contract.

That contract, utility officials said, could be as much as $1 million.

The system has not been assessed since its installation.

Metro on 05/09/2014

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