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DocuSign Envelope ID: 454AC100- 1926- 4795- B94B- 86B8B3246CC0 <br />90OMhx Communications Statement <br />Background <br />Smart water meters were developed to improve conservation of a vital natural resource, increase the operational <br />efficiencies of utilities and give consumers more control over their water usage. This is increasingly important <br />given recent droughts and growing demands being placed on a water distribution system that is inefficient, <br />outdated and in need of upgrade. <br />While smart metering has many benefits, certain consumer groups have questioned the long -term health effects <br />associated with radio frequency (RF) transmissions generated by smart meters. The <br />issue has been studied by a wide variety of government, industry and scientific organizations, including the Federal <br />Communications Commission (FCC), the Environmental Defense Fund and the Utilities Telecom Council. Their <br />Findings indicate that the RF transmissions generated by smart meters are as safe as those generated by other <br />household appliances and devices, including microwave ovens, cellular phones and laptop computers. <br />According to the Environmental Defense Fund, "By making smart investments in a "smart" green grid, we can <br />greatly reduce our use of dirty energy, improve air quality and the health of millions of Americans affected by <br />dangerous air pollution, and advance our energy independence and economic growth." <br />The Mi.NetO System <br />The Mi.Net® Mueller Infrastructure Network for Utilities, Mueller Systems' advanced metering infrastructure <br />system, is fully compliant with FCC guidelines governing RF transmissions. These guidelines were adopted in 1985 <br />and are based on recommended guidelines published by the National Council on Radiation Protection and <br />Measurements. <br />The Mi.Net System operates in the 900 MHz band. The 900 MHz system is a band used by multiple consumer and <br />household electronics and the output power is closely regulated by the FCC. RF transmissions in this unlicensed <br />band are typically far fewer than for many other devices. Additionally, the effective radiated output power of the <br />Mi.Net System is one watt or less. <br />Key Points <br />(1) RF transmissions decrease as the distance from the device increases. A cell phone placed directly against a <br />person's ear generates 5,000 uWlcm (micro -watt per centimeter) compared to 40 uWlcm generated <br />from three feet away from a smart meter that is always on, (California Council of Science and <br />Technology). In other words, a cell phone's RF transmissions are 125 times more powerful than a smart <br />meter under these parameters. <br />(2) Radio devices transmit RFs when they are in use, and a smart meter is in use only a fraction of the time <br />compared to other household devices. For example, the Mi.Net System transmits once a day for a fraction of <br />a second, while a typical cell phone or laptop may be used almost continuously throughout the day. <br />Conclusion <br />RF transmissions have been and will continue to be part of our daily lives, and it is important to separate fact from <br />rumor. We appreciate the enormous amount of third -party research that has been conducted by government, <br />industry and scientific organizations, which indicate that the RF trans- missions generated by smart meters are as <br />safe as those generated by other household appliances and devices. According to the World Health Organization, <br />"From all evidence accumulated so far, no adverse short- or long -term health effects have been shown to occur <br />from the RF signals produced by base stations. Since wireless networks produce generally lower RF signals than <br />base stations, no adverse health effects are expected from exposure to them." <br />Page 9 of 11 <br />