Smart water meters have come to the forefront of conversation as a potential solution to alleviate the pressures the UK’s water infrastructure is facing. Climate change is driving wetter winters and drier summers, both of which will put greater pressure on UK waterways, which are already suffering the effects of flooding and pollution. By offering remote management of water consumption, smart water meters can be leveraged to cut consumption and detect leaks.
Smart water meters work by enabling automatic tracking of the amount of water an individual uses within their household, whether the water is used in common cases like showers, washing or gardening. Most are powered by batteries and fitted with SIM cards which transmit data via mobile networks.
They replace traditional meters which require manual tracking and submission of readings. For the consumer, the appeal is accurate bills and convenience, but they’re also part of a bigger narrative about modernising the UK’s energy infrastructure to reduce strain, water consumption and ensure the survival of the water industry.
If the threat isn’t obvious enough – major water supplier Thames Water is facing down serious debt. Earlier this month, a representative of its shareholder pension fund Omer, Michael McNicholas resigned from its board, in a move feared to spark further resignations. Heavy borrowing and what Thames Water says is investment in its water and sewage infrastructure have driven the company to the brink of collapse.
In spite of these issues, there remains some optimism about how water infrastructure could be modernised to cut consumption and tackle leaks. A partnership announced in April between Vodafone and smart water meter provider SUEZ looks to reduce water consumption while providing a stable communication network, which is key for smart water management.
Vodafone will leverage its technology and Narrowband (NB) IoT networks to support SUEZ, whose core business is water cycle management and waste cycling and recovery. According to a figure provided by Vodafone, remote readings of smart water meters can help to lower water consumption by 15% as they monitor usage and can detect leaks.
“Our global partnership with SUEZ, a leader in the field of intelligent smart water meter reading, strengthens our position in this growing and important market,” said Giorgio Migliarina, Interim CEO of Vodafone Business.
NB IoT networks have been chosen for its capabilities as a high-performance communication network, as well as excellent coverage and a 15-year battery life. It also uses less energy and can connect with smart water meters in underground or insulated locations.
“Our SUEZ-Vodafone solution makes full use of NB-IoT’s potential in terms of meeting network performance requirements and reducing water consumption,” said Patricia Villoslada, SVP, SUEZ Digital Solutions at the time of the announcement.
This isn’t the first partnership targeted at protecting that precious resource. Earlier this year in January, Heliot Europe partnered with B4T to provide its smart water meter range with its Sigfox-0G connectivity.
The range in question records data and compresses to ensure effective transmission, which helps in the way of maintaining battery life as this can be a common challenge for these devices. The use of Sigfox’s LPWAN technology was explained in relation to challenges faced by underground connectivity.
Transmitting data this way ensures accuracy so insights related to water consumption, leaks or other operational tasks can be shared.
Alex Barter, Managing Director, B4T at the time of the announcement outlined the “water problem” the UK faces in terms of water wastage.“Using smart water meters enables water companies, and the like, to identify the sources of leaks in real time. They allow for a more rapid response to problems, reducing the volume of wasted water; and support better targeted investment,” he explained.
“We considered various forms of connectivity and concluded that low power networks, such as Sigfox, offer a transformative cost/benefit model for smart water metering. Our sensors can collect water usage in real-time,” Barter added.
“IoT sensors and connectivity solutions are transforming industries and solving problems globally,” pointed out Gareth Mitchell, UK Partner Manager, Heliot Europe in the announcement, adding that the sheer scale of the UK’s water infrastructure provides an opportunity to scale: “We continue to look forward to working with B4T as they scale their operations and provide their technology to water companies and consumers.”
Although the task at hand appears daunting, the convergence of IoT with water management demonstrates what smart consumption can look like, supporting smart water meters with high performance networks that ensures the fast and accurate submission of data.
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