Water scarcity is becoming a menace by the day. Geographical areas known to have plenty of water have dried up, and the hope of getting the water back is slowly fading. It’s therefore essential to be more conscious when using water.
Due to the increasing need to preserve water, technology has enabled the invention of smart water meters. These meters are designed to help homeowners monitor their water usage and develop ways to conserve as much water as possible.
If you’ve never come across a smart water meter or you’re wondering how it works, this article provides vital information about this technology.
What Are Smart Water Meters?
Smart water meters, like bluebot, record water usage and automatically transmit the reading to the consumer and the utility company. Smart water meters eradicate the need to access awkwardly positioned regular meters.
How Does A Smart Meter Work?
Smart water meters are installed on a water line and work like regular meters. However, they’re wireless and enable readings to be remotely obtained. Smart meters also provide reliable and accurate data 24/7.
They’re considered intelligent since they collect real-time water consumption data and share it with the user and the water supplier via an automated control system. You can use single-way communication with the utility or two-way communication between the water supplier and the consumer.
Smart meters are also designed to detect leaks. Due to their accuracy, they sense even the tiniest leak. Suppose the reading on the smart meter doesn’t drop to zero during the time set. They notify the consumer or the utility company about the possible leak.
Advantages Of Using Smart Water Meters
Though they perform similar duties, using a smart water meter is more advantageous than a regular meter. Here are some benefits of using smart water meters:
- Improves Water Conservation: Smart water meters provide precise information on how much water a consumer uses in a particular period. They also detect and notify the user about water usage irregularities. For instance, when there’s a leak in your home, a smart meter will notice an increase in water usage and alert you about it. This will help you take the necessary steps to prevent the leak from becoming a menace.
- Provides Accurate Readings: Unlike regular water meters, intelligent meters provide accurate readings. As a result, you only pay for what you’ve used.
- Eradicates Scams And Tampering: There have been cases of people pretending to be water meter readers visiting homes. Once they enter a property, they conduct heinous crimes. Smart water meters prevent scams and tampering since they don’t require manual reading.
- Saves You Money: Monitoring and conserving water means using it consciously. If you use less and get accurate water readings, you experience a decrease in water bills. A smart water meter helps you monitor your water usage and determine ways to reduce it.
Smart water meters don’t leave stones unturned as far as monitoring your water usage is concerned. They provide accurate readings and detect leaks, helping you make necessary adjustments.
Disadvantages Of Using Water Meters
Like everything else, smart water meters have some disadvantages. They include:
- Low Performance Due To Low Signal: Many smart water meters communicate via mobile networks. Data transfer might become an issue if you reside in an area with a poor signal connection. You’ll also experience a delay in accessing data if the signal is poor.
- Lack Of Support From Utility Companies: Unfortunately, smart meters aren’t accessible worldwide. For this reason, many water companies are yet to support the technology.
While smart water meters help a homeowner to track their water usage, they don’t directly reduce water bills. Their role is to ensure you determine the amount of water you use in a particular period and any abnormalities in water usage. From there, you develop ways to reduce your usage and lower the bills.
The Difference Between Smart Meters And Regular Meters
Both smart and regular water meters monitor water usage. However, unlike a regular meter, a smart water meter sends data to a central database. As a result, the water company and the consumer easily access real-time water usage data.
Additionally, smart water meters enable a homeowner to reduce water usage and lower their utility bill. On the other hand, a homeowner is unlikely to know the exact amount they use per day when using a regular meter since the readings are done after a particular period. In such a case, a homeowner might be unable to develop ways to conserve water.
Conclusion
Smart water meters are ideal tools to help lower water consumption. They provide accurate readings and detect leaks. If you’re looking for an excellent way to monitor your water usage, equip your home with a smart water meter.
