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Pinfold at 05:16, January 24, 2023

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	*'''Better data''': Smart water systems can provide data on water usage, water quality, and water distribution, which can help to inform better water management policies and strategies.		*'''Better data''': Smart water systems can provide data on water usage, water quality, and water distribution, which can help to inform better water management policies and strategies.
	*'''Increased reliability''': Smart water systems can help to increase the reliability of water supply by reducing leaks, providing real-time monitoring, and early detection of issues in the water distribution network.		*'''Increased reliability''': Smart water systems can help to increase the reliability of water supply by reducing leaks, providing real-time monitoring, and early detection of issues in the water distribution network.

			=Water System=
			Our planet’s water supply is finite. There is as much water on earth today as there was yesterday, and as much as there ever will be. However, the human population continues to grow, and along with it the need for more fresh water. Further stressed by aging infrastructures, government mandates, and shrinking budgets, managing our planet’s supply of fresh water continuous to be critical to ongoing economic prosperity and social wellbeing.

			Non-revenue water (NRW) is defined as treated drinking water that is lost in the distribution system before it can be delivered to customers. Worldwide, more than 32 billion cubic meters of treated water leak from urban water supply systems annually, equivalent to over $18 billion of NRW (source: Itron). Some of these losses, such as leaks are easy to find, but many go undetected, resulting in precious treated water going to
			waste, lost revenues, and higher production costs. Additional losses associated with theft and poor
			metering result in lost revenue to the utility. Water losses on the customer side do not affect utility
			revenue, but they do have a negative impact on sustainable management of precious water resources.
			An increasing number of water providers are realizing that deploying new technologies such as acoustic
			leak-sensing across their distribution systems makes both economic and environmental sense. For
			example, a pipeline leak as small 1/8 inch can lose more than 3,500 gallons per day (gpd) until it is
			detected and repaired.

			Ultimately, the biggest water challenge facing our planet today is the assurance that its most valuable
			resource can be sustained beyond tomorrow. Just because water resources in a particular area are not
			in jeopardy today, does not mean they will not be tomorrow. Increasing populations will continue to
			migrate to, and expect more from, water-rich areas. While Smart City initiatives are finding more
			efficient ways to sustain the drinking water resource, the demand is ever growing and fresh water
			supplies will only continue to be strained. The challenge is to ensure they do not become exhausted.
			=Solutions and Benefits=
			To meet continually increasing customer expectations, utilities must become more efficient in the way
			they manage their water resources, handle the demands of their service territory, and engage with their
			customers. The answer is not to decrease or limit access to fresh water, but rather to increase the
			efficiency with which water is provided and consumed – decreasing the excess not the access. In other
			words, to be “resourceful.” We need to understand how and when water is being consumed and/or lost
			so that decisions can be made today that will positively impact the sustainability of our water resources
			tomorrow.

			This is done through data. But not just data and not just big data. It is through the effective collection of
			accurate, reliable data and the use of tools to analyze this data. The solutions to managing a
			community’s water resources include understanding the demands of a utility’s service territory;
			ensuring sufficient supply is available by more efficiently identifying contributors to NRW (such as
			system leaks, aging assets, and unauthorized usage); reducing operational expenses and uncovering new
			revenue streams; and providing customers with access to that same set of information so that they can
			understand and manage their consumption.

			According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Water Efficiency is “the use of improved
			technologies and practices to deliver equal or better service with less water.” The key is access to
			products and solutions that deliver on that need, and equipping utilities to be able to minimize
			spending, increase operational efficiencies, and uncover new revenue streams.

			Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and multi-purpose networks, in addition to optimizing the
			billing process, transform data collected through the system into valuable and actionable intelligence for
			users across the utility, delivering benefits to the entire organization from billing and customer service
			to operations, engineering, and distribution, empowering them all to address conservation and resource
			sustainable opportunities. Delivering the information necessary to make decisions enables a utility to
			effect change that will have both an immediate and lasting impact on the availability, management, and
			use of water.

			A number of utilities and organizations are already demonstrating their commitment to water efficiency
			through the use of advanced technologies, implementing solutions that facilitate program objectives.
			For example, Envision Charlotte in Charlotte, NC has programs in place to encourage the reduction of
			energy and water consumption in the downtown area of the city (known as Uptown). By bringing
			awareness to consumption levels through the deployment of advanced technologies capable of
			collecting hourly interval data, Envision Charlotte is encouraging change in the way energy and water
			are used and, as a result, showing that businesses can lower the expense of “keeping the lights on.” A
			key benefit to this program is having more businesses come to the Charlotte area, and therefore more
			people. This is just one “end” justified by the “means” that demonstrates the power and flexibility of
			technology capable of satisfying utility challenges around the world.

			The City of Madison, WI, thanks to the collection of interval data, was able to establish thresholds for
			identifying possible customer-side leaks, and then proactively notifying the customer. As a result of the
			City’s efforts, the threshold for what alerts a possible leak has continually been lowered, or rather fine-
			tuned, over the past 3 years.

			Another example of actuating change within a utility’s operations and customer base is the City of
			Cleveland, OH. Following the implementation of an AMI, the City has also been able to proactively
			identify potential customer-side leaks and, in turn, proactively notify their customers. The resulting
			benefits have been recognized by both the utility and the end customer. Following notification from the
			utility, Cleveland Water’s customers have the opportunity to minimize the impact to their water bill, and
			Cleveland Water has seen a significant decrease in the number of bill-related calls to their call center.
			Furthermore, interval consumption data, coupled with the metered data from district meters, enables
			utilities to identify potential system losses through District Metering. System losses could be a result of
			leaks, aging meters, incorrectly sized meters, and/or unauthorized consumption. Having the ability to
			identify these potential losses prior to rolling a truck results is an immediate, positive impact to the
			bottom line.

			Utilities that are challenged with drought conditions can monitor customer consumption to report on,
			and enforce, compliance during periods of water restrictions. Knowing when customers are using water,
			again without having to roll a truck, further decreases operational costs and increases the opportunities
			to save a valuable resource.

			In addition to identifying system losses via the collection of time-synchronized data, with the installation
			of acoustical leak sensors, a utility can continuously audit the integrity of their distribution system.
			Knowing when leaks occur, before they damage public or private property, further decreases
			operational expenses and increases revenue opportunities. With proactive leak detection, utilities are
			able to reduce the amount of water lost, reduce the cost of repair, and as a result, reduce their NRW
			percentage.

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2023-01-24T04:46:00Z

Created page with "{{Chapter |image=Water-meter.jpg |poc=Wilfred Pinfold |authors=Wilfred Pinfold |blueprint=Utility |sectors=Utility |summary=A smart water system is a type of water management..."

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{{Chapter
|image=Water-meter.jpg
|poc=Wilfred Pinfold
|authors=Wilfred Pinfold
|blueprint=Utility
|sectors=Utility
|summary=A smart water system is a type of water management system that uses digital technology to improve the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of water management.
}}
Smart water systems can include a variety of technologies such as sensors, data analytics, and communication networks. These systems can help to improve the collection, treatment, distribution, and management of water resources, as well as reduce the environmental impact of water management.

Examples of smart water systems include:
*'''Smart metering''': This uses sensors to measure and monitor water usage, which can help to identify leaks, detect fraud, and improve billing accuracy.
*'''Smart leakage detection''': This uses sensors and data analytics to detect leaks in water systems and alert repair crews to fix them before they become major problems.
*'''Smart irrigation''': This uses sensors to monitor soil moisture and weather conditions, which can help to optimize irrigation schedules and reduce water usage.
*'''Smart water quality monitoring''': This uses sensors to monitor water quality and detect contaminants, which can help to ensure that water is safe to drink.
*'''Smart water distribution''': This uses data analytics to optimize water distribution and reduce the need for expensive infrastructure.

The benefits of smart water systems include:
*'''Improved efficiency''': Smart water systems can help to improve the efficiency of water management by reducing leaks, identifying inefficiencies, and optimizing water distribution.
*'''Reduced costs''': Smart water systems can help to reduce the costs of water management by reducing the need for expensive infrastructure, identifying inefficiencies, and detecting fraud.
*'''Increased sustainability''': Smart water systems can help to increase the sustainability of water management by reducing water usage, detecting and preventing contamination, and reducing the environmental impact of water management.
*'''Better data''': Smart water systems can provide data on water usage, water quality, and water distribution, which can help to inform better water management policies and strategies.
*'''Increased reliability''': Smart water systems can help to increase the reliability of water supply by reducing leaks, providing real-time monitoring, and early detection of issues in the water distribution network.

Smart Water - Revision history

Pinfold at 05:18, January 24, 2023

Pinfold at 05:16, January 24, 2023

Pinfold: Created page with "{{Chapter |image=Water-meter.jpg |poc=Wilfred Pinfold |authors=Wilfred Pinfold |blueprint=Utility |sectors=Utility |summary=A smart water system is a type of water management..."