The November 2018 issue of Journal AWWA shows some fascinating findings regarding the relationship between smart water meters and data analytics. Water leaks remain a major issue for utilities all around the world. Here in the United States, over ten percent of indoor water consumption that’s lost is a result of leaks. In fact, about ten percent of households have a ninety gallon or more leak each day. Particularly in regions that are water stressed, tackling leaks is imperative as an essential source of saving water, especially since leaks are also a cause for revenue loss in water utilities.
Technology in the water industry has evolved tremendously to the point that there are now tools in place to detect a leak before it becomes a major problem. Today’s smart meters can keep track of water usage and immediately report any signs of flow anomaly, such as ongoing flow for a full 24 hour period which is indicative of a potential leak. Current water customers now have tools that allow them to access a secure portal and monitor their water usage as well as set alerts should a leak arise.
According to the article titled “Smart Water Meters and Data Analytics Decrease Waster Water Due to Leaks”, a study of more than 80,000 residential customer water usage showed that those taking advantage of the online portal saw a drastic reduction in leaks and they were also much quicker to report and have the leaks repaired. A subset of 1,500+ households accessing the portal a minimum of one time during a period of eighteen months showed that about nine percent had leaks of at least 7.5 gph or more, accounting for seven percent of the water distributed to residential accounts each year.
Combining the positive results with the power of today’s increasingly intelligent water meters shows clear benefits of implementing smart meters. Customers, as well as utilities, save money, revenue is boosted, and perhaps, most importantly, there is better usage of one of our most vital natural resources.
The Avanti Company was founded in 1977 by Paul and Justine Devlin and is headquartered in Avon Park, FL. We provide water meters, metering systems, AMI support, on-site flow meter testing, sewer flow monitoring, inspection and assessment services for the water, wastewater, agricultural, petroleum and industrial marketplaces. Avanti represents products from McCrometer, Itron, Hach Flow, Honeywell/Elster, 64 seconds, Infosense, Nicor, DoMac, Liquid Controls, and others. Please visit our website at www.avanticompany.com, email us at info@avanticompany.com or call us at 863-453-5336 for assistance with all of your flow meter and metering system needs.