Securing the future of water

John Lillistone makes the case for using private communications networks to improve the efficiency and frequency of data collection from smart water meters, helping to realise their full potential.

According to the UN, there’s expected to be a 40 per cent shortfall in global fresh water resources by 2030.

Aside from the devastating effect such a shortage will have on social welfare, the World Bank predicts that GDP growth rates could decline by 6 per cent as a result of water-related impacts on agriculture, health and incomes, with a loss of $4.50 trillion by 2050. In the UK, the Environmental Agency has issued its own warnings about future water deficits across the country.

Although population growth and climate change are adding to supply pressures, the biggest waste of resources remains water leaks. In England alone, 3.2 billion litres of water are being lost from leaking infrastructure every day, enough to fill 1,273 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Despite Ofwat’s recent recognition that smart meters are an effective way to reduce both leaks and water use – and their growing presence in UK households – leakage figures have remained static.

This is because many smart meters lack critical technology that should underpin a smart meter programme – an always-on real-time network. So, just how can network connectivity help secure the future of water?

Rapid responses

Many suppliers use the simplest type of smart (AMR) meters, which can automatically collect readings within a 3m radius over a short-range radio connection. Some companies send out their own fitted vans, but others have inventively attached reading technology to dustbin lorries that can capture data from about 75 per cent of the smart meters. However, with these weekly readings, the data collected from AMR meters is considered out of date by the time it has entered the analysis system.

In contrast, the latest generation of fixed network smart meters (AMI meters) send hourly readings in near real time to the water provider, which can reduce leak run-time to two to three weeks. This rapid response time requires a private network that can guarantee coverage and capacity. By providing a network that uses a licensed spectrum with dedicated channels for an individual water provider, any potential traffic volume issues that might arise if multiple users attempt to use the same spectrum can be avoided.

Data-driven decisions

As water companies battle to tackle water waste, there is a growing recognition that the onus is not just on suppliers, but also on consumers. After the Environmental Agency’s warning that England could run out of water in 25 years, Agency chief Sir James Bevan has urged society to consider wasting water as socially unacceptable as throwing plastic bags into the sea.

As smart meter networks continue to grow and generate vast amounts of data, smart meters are fast becoming integral tools for water providers seeking to increase consumer engagement. In fact, smart meter ownership has been shown to reduce consumption by 17 per cent. The two-way data exchange, supported by a private network, allows customers easily to add extra sensors to the existing network. This provides an ever-increasing rich data set from which to derive actionable outcomes, and ultimately help customers understand and act on their water use.

Two of the water providers we work with are using our fixed smart meter networks to access smart meters instantly and identify and alert consumers to problems. An automated process is in place in which the system takes meter reads, predicts the leakage amount, and sends a letter to the homeowner calculating the monthly cost of the leak. We have found that within three days, 95 per cent of those leaks disappear with no further interaction or cost from the water company.

Securing the network

Increased consumer data collection, combined with the explosion of connected devices, has left data privacy a common concern among both customers and providers. The introduction of internet-connected smart meters could in fact enable hackers to steal personal details and defraud customers.

Although data breaches are prevalent, cyberattacks in the utility sector are of even greater concern. Given the immediate links to critical national infrastructure, the potential repercussions are significant. A data breach is of concern, but a loss of water could be catastrophic to both business and society.

Private fixed smart meter networks can help water providers avoid the security issues associated with internet connectivity. By using a private licensed radio spectrum, fixed meter networks avoid sharing a spectrum with other applications – ultimately evading the susceptibility of online communication. Considering their status as an alluring data-rich target, it’s vital that water providers secure their smart meter networks, or risk being compromised.

As awareness of the world’s water scarcity crisis continues to rise, the argument for smart water meters has never been more compelling. Behind the benefits of these devices lies a resilient fixed network, for both short-term solutions and future applications.