Semtech recently announced the successful implementation of its LoRa technology in one of the UK’s largest smart water metering projects. Yorkshire Water, in partnership with Netmore Group, has deployed a LoRaWAN smart metering initiative across the region that is setting new standards for utility providers worldwide.
The large-scale implementation, which is expected to deploy 1.3 million smart water meters over a five-year period, demonstrates the transformative impact of Semtech’s LoRa technology in revolutionising water management through enhanced operational efficiency, reduced costs and significant environmental benefits.
“This collaboration between Yorkshire Water, Netmore Group and Semtech demonstrates how our technology can create substantial real-world impact for utilities and their customers,” said Rémi Demerlé, Director of LoRa ecosystem development, Semtech. “The implementation of this comprehensive smart metering solution powered by LoRaWAN technology addresses critical challenges in water conservation and management, creating a more sustainable future.”
“Our robust network architecture provides Yorkshire Water with the reliability and coverage essential for this transformative project,” added Vadim Lyu, Managing Director UK, Netmore Group. “By leveraging LoRaWAN technology, we’re enabling not just data collection, but actionable insights that drive meaningful water conservation and operational efficiency.”
According to Yorkshire Water, the deployment has already achieved significant results:
- Identification of over 1,000 customer-side leaks in the initial rollout
- Daily savings of 1.22 megalitres of water during the early phase
- Anticipated reduction of 8 megalitres of leakage per day upon full deployment
- Projected 2-litre per person daily drop in household consumption
- Expected 15% reduction in non-household water demand by 2050
- Meter batteries lasting up to 15 years, dramatically reducing maintenance costs
“Our partnership with Netmore has allowed us to revolutionise water management with scalable, cost-effective technology,” said James Wilson, Manager of Smart Metering Delivery, Yorkshire Water. “After thorough evaluation, we’re confident that Netmore will help us achieve our goals in leakage reduction, water efficiency, customer experience, and operational carbon emissions.”
The solution harnesses a sophisticated network architecture, combining high tower sites and monopoles for umbrella coverage, supplemented by mid-layer gateways and targeted indoor solutions to ensure 90% dual gateway connectivity. This robust infrastructure enables millions of daily meter readings to be processed through Netmore’s platform, facilitating real-time leak detection and detailed consumption insights.
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