Generating Revenue from Scrap Water Meters Through Online Government Auctions

Background

Scrap metal prices fluctuate daily, creating volatility and uncertainty in the recycling market. It is difficult to accurately determine the fair market value of assets that contain large amounts of metals like brass and copper because of these unstable prices.

WaterOne, the Water District Number One of Johnson County, Kansas, is an independent public water utility serving nearly 500,000 residents. With thousands of water meters being cycled out each year, WaterOne needed a reliable method to capture maximum value while maintaining complete financial transparency.

Challenge

Local scrap yards routinely provided inconsistent quotes with hidden fees that did not reflect the true value of the assets. This created two problems: WaterOne could not confirm whether it was receiving fair pricing, and by selling locally, it faced a limited buyer pool unwilling to pay higher prices. Given that brass, copper, and aluminum fluctuate significantly, even small pricing gaps add up quickly across thousands of pounds of recycled material.

As a public utility, WaterOne must follow state surplus disposal regulations requiring a competitive, transparent process. Local scrap yards could not provide the level of documentation needed to satisfy auditors or uphold public trust. The utility needed a solution that delivered:

• Verified bid history
• Weight and revenue reconciliation
• Buyer compliance
• Secure, documented asset transfer

That’s where GovDeals, the leading online marketplace for government surplus, stepped in to help eliminate the “scrap stress.”

Industry Prices
According to MetalRecap, this is the average commodity price range comparison used to evaluate scrap offers. These ranges illustrate the significant value that can be lost when relying only on fixed or local-scrap quotes instead of competitive industry bidding.

Metal Type	Average Price Range (per pound)
Copper	$3.50 - $4.50
Copper Wire	$2.75 - $3.50
Aluminum Cans	$0.40 - $0.70
Aluminum Sheet	$0.45 - $0.66
Yellow Brass	$2.00 - $2.50
Stainless Steel	$0.25 - $0.40
Steel Light	$0.05 - $0.07 (per pound) or $115 - $150 (per ton)
Iron	$0.06 - $0.09

 

Solution

GovDeals connected WaterOne with hundreds of qualified scrap and metal recycling buyers. Instead of relying on single, local quotes, open bidding drove prices to true market levels, often exceeding what the regional yards offered. By listing the scrap water meters online, WaterOne transformed an unpredictable process into a controlled, fully documented revenue stream with a platform that provided:

• Stronger market pricing driven by national competition.
• Significantly more revenue recovered from thousands of scrap meters.
• Reduced financial risk through complete audit trails and digital documentation.
• Increased transparency for procurement and finance departments, as well as external auditors.

This case demonstrates how public utilities can unlock substantial value by selling scrap materials through compliant, competitive online auctions. For WaterOne, GovDeals eliminated uncertainty, improved revenue recovery, and ensured full public accountability.

When the market moves fast, transparency and competition matter – and GovDeals delivers both.

For the purposes of this study any use of the term “WaterOne” refers collectively to Water District No. 1 of Johnson County, KS including all of its agents, employees, and representatives.