We are so used to of having easy access to water, that we don’t think about a time when this may not be possible. On an average, a single person uses 80 to 100 gallons of water every day, with the climate changing all over the world, and all the droughts and flooding situations we have, it’s high time that we find new sources of water and try making more and more of it. This is the time of crisis and serious action has to be taken, so that the next generations don’t run out of water. With technology taking over every field, it also plays a role in water conservation.
Real-Time Metering and Frequent Billing
The water meters we have today are conventional, therefore, they require a manual reading instead of a smart one. Because the work has to be done manually, it is done once or twice a year, when a service provider reads your water meter and then sends a bill to your home. These bills are nothing more than just statements, without any insight on how much water you have consumed or wasted. This prevents both the authorities and the consumer from taking any action to save the water wastage.
The solution to this problem is smart water meters. What these smart meters do is provide readings to the consumer in real time, and they are designed to calculate your home’s consumption of water down to 15-minute increments. With the help of this detailed information, both the water manager and consumer can get a great insight about how much water they should be using. Because of these smart meters we can also have frequent billing of water just like electricity that help consumers save water. We invest in things like home water filtration systems, but it’s time now we invest in smart meter technology as well.
Leakage Detection
Did you know that a leakage in a toilet can waste more than 700 liters of water every single day? This is equal to the average consumption of water in most households of India. Leaking pipes, faulty plumbing and pipe bursts due to time and environmental change are the second biggest reason for water wastage around the world. Figuring out a leakage in a toilet is not as easy as noticing a dripping faucet, you might just learn about it when you get your water bill after several months.
What technology can help solve this problem are real time leakage detection systems, these alert people immediately about any such incident so they can take an instant action to prevent the cause. Many people hesitate from getting such systems installed in their houses thinking they are highly expensive, but there are several detection systems available at a low price. Installing one of these in your home can help you from any water wastage due to leakage problems.
Control Mechanisms – Tenancy/Vacancy
Technology to remotely shut off the supply of water, is one great technique of saving water and preventing wastage, due to leakages or plumbing issues. What these control mechanisms do is allow the consumer to get control over their supply of water, for example, you are far away from home and you learn about a leak in your house through this device, so instead of heading back immediately you can instantly turn the water system off from wherever you are. This helps in any wastage of water and also gives you the leverage of controlling things even being far from home.
Through these devices, a consumer is notified about their water problems, and are given the chance to solve them in real time. These devices are an excellent choice for apartments, as managers can have access to shutting off water supply of any apartment, once its vacant, to prevent incidents and water wastage in case someone leaves the tap running.
Distribution Management
Water management is a difficult and challenging job, either done by a utility company or a service provider.
Thanks to real time technology, this job can be made less difficult — with smart software and devices water supply companies can maintain a dashboard of the supply and demand of water of different localities they cater to. These dashboards can help them calculate the demand of water in a particular area, and then they can decide whether they have to source or conserve water.
Data, Data and More Data
Technology aside, knowledge alone can also help save water. And by knowledge here we mean having the right data. For the conservation of water, we need to take the right decision regarding the consumption and distribution of water, and a right decision can only come from the right amount of data. Through technology, many homes in USA today have water wells, similarly we can use technology and infrastructure to help build knowledge for water saving.
Smart meters have so far increased awareness in 10% of the population, as by getting the accurate and monthly data about their water consumption helps them realize how much water they should be using and not wasting. Data collection has also helped water managing agencies focus on their water saving efforts. This only means that the more dependable data we have, the more awareness we can create. Through smart technologies we can analyze our water situations and make effective decisions for water conservation.
Technology is moving fast day by day, and it provides more solutions for water management. With the climate changes, it is crucial for every individual to save water as much as possible, and these few tips can help you do so.