Leading the implementation of Smart Metering on water supply networks
Global Omnium has ten years of experience managing water supply services using Smart Metering. This fact positions the company as a world leader in the implementation and exploitation of this technology.
The Global Omnium's Smart Metering strategy started in 2006, when the first drive/walk-by meters where installed. By the end of 2015, 25 small towns and some large towns, such as Gandia, Quart de Poblet, Tortosa and Sagunt will be completely equipped with smart meters. Moreover, València will be the first large city in Europe fully equipped with smart meters in fixed network in Europe (near 500.000 units).
Global Omnium was one of the first water utilities realising that this model could report other benefits apart from those directly related to billing. To do so, a set of state-of-the-art software tools have been developed so that Big Data from Smart Meters is processed and transformed into useful information which, in the end, brings significant improvements to the quality of the service and the operation of the Water Distribution Network (WDN).
From an operational point of view, the acquisition and further processing of near-real time data from smart meters, allows, among others:
- Adpating water production and to demand, thus reducing the pressure within the WDN and leaks associated;
- Carrying out hydraulic balances to opitmise lead detection and tampering/fraud.
The adoption of smart metering solutions and maintenance activities according to improved leak detection capabilities, has implied in some locations increases of hydraulic performance from figures around 70% to 86% in the period 2009-2013. As a consequence, it is estimated that for the whole group, more than 3.800.000 m3 of water leakages within the WDN have been avoided in 2014.
From the quality of the service point of view, this model has allowed:
- Eliminating the necessity of accessing houses for visual reading of meters;
- Eliminating estimated readings;
- Providing additional values.
This model also reported benefits for the customers. For AVSA, with the current roll out, an average of 50 internal leaks per month is being detected. This has avoided billing customers more than 22 000 m3 each month and it is estimated that during 2016 more than 50 000 m3/month will be saved. Moreover, customer complaints have been reduced by 3%.