A state of emergency has been declared in California by Gov. Jerry Brown; a severe drought is gripping many parts of western California. In response, restrictions have been imposed in attempts to reduce water usage by 25 percent. It is highly possible that through the use of data and smart infrastructure, conservation can be improved, and the restrictions and goals met. An example of how this can be done is through the use of smart meters to assist with managing water use and making communities more sustainable.
Evidence of the benefits of smart meters lie in the statistics. Unmetered homes use upwards of 40 percent more water than the state average. According to “Can Data Impact the Drought,” from the Government Technology site, there were a quarter million unmetered homes and businesses in California last year. With a quarter million homes using 40 percent more water, it is easy to understand why using meters will help conserve water. Therefore, a law was put into place that calls for utilities to install meters for all of their customers by 2025.
However, California needs to ensure that the old, legacy meters are being utilized properly. They need to be manually read every few months. However, manually reading the meters is both expensive and prone to human error.
For this reason, the utilities are instead replacing the legacy meters with smart meters. These smart readers have automatic meter reading (AMR) technology. They transmit water usage data to the utility through an electronic means. Workers simply have to drive around in the vehicles that contain the wireless receivers to gather the data from the meters. This cuts costs and also improves accuracy.
Some utilities are even moving beyond AMR technology. They are deploying meters that also allow the utilities to collect usage data, but these meters are also capable of receiving information. This allows the utility to shut down service when a customer is moving. They also further cut down on costs by reducing the number of truck rolls, and in-person visits. These save the utility money, and hopefully the savings will be passed on to the customers.
And it just keeps getting better and better. The benefits of smart meters go beyond just increasing productivity. Because the meters provide customers and utilities real-time data, the meters allow for customers to use water more efficiently. The customers are motivated to pay attention to this, as it will thus save them money.
They can promptly detect problems in the water distribution system and quickly alert homeowners of possible leaks. The possible payoff from leak protection is substantial. According to the article, household leaks waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water each year. This is likely because often times leaks are not detected until a very high water bills is sent out, or even worse, damage is detected. These leaks result in billions of dollars of property losses.
While the United States is still in the early stages of deploying smart meters, people are starting to see the value they can add. While less than 20 percent of the metered customers actually have smart meters, those that do are saving money, and saving water. Mumbai launched a smart metering program and halved the amount of water lost in leaks.
By using smart meters, the government can also easily detect who is not following the restrictions. This will thus allow the government to impose further restrictions on those that previously ignored complaints. It will also allow the government to prioritize water efficiency grants.
Our drought problems are not going away. They have been reoccurring for countless years. While we may currently be in short supply of the capital investments and tech-savvy public administrators, necessary for smart infrastructure, it is an investment that will be worth it. Communities that charge ahead and adopt smart infrastructure and smart meters will be better equipped to deal with the water challenges that lie ahead.
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