Smart Water Meters That Can Detect Leaks in Homes Will be Installed from 2022 for 300k Homes

By
Zhi Hao
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It seems that everything’s getting the digital treatment. Application processes. Passport renewal services. And now…

Actual water systems.

Though we gotta say; this particular piece of technology may just prove to be really beneficial in the long run.

Smart Water Meters That Can Detect Leaks in Homes Will be Installed from 2022 for 300k Homes

People like to say: “If you just stop smoking, you’ll be a millionaire by now.”

Well, switch out the smoking part for water and you get the whole “Smart Water Meter” premise.

Kinda anyway.

According to The Straits Times, SP Services will be installing 300,000 smart water meters – Singapore’s first – from early 2022.

Apparently, it’s part of a nationwide effort to digitalise the water system.

And lest you’re wondering, these meters will not come with an extra price tag.

According to the news report, the novel meters will allow the national water agency PUB to access meter readings easily.

Currently, meter readings can only be accessed via manual methods, which are normally conducted once every two months.

There will also be a customer portal for you to keep track of unwanted leaks and water usage in “near real time”.

So basically, the pro is that theoretically, you should be able to save up on a lot of unnecessary expenses.

The con? Your almost automatic inclination towards unnecessary water usage may have to be retconned.

Because, unlike current times, you wouldn’t be able to get away with it anymore.

Implementation

The first batch will be rolled out to homes, commercial and industrial buildings at seven locations: Bukit Batok, Hougang, Jurong West, Tampines, Tuas, Tengah and Tampines North.

It’s set to be completed by 2023.

Selected households and businesses will be notified through letters from PUB.

“In selecting these locations, PUB had considered a range of factors including property mix, efficiency of deployment and the need to replace older conventional water meters,” it said.

If the first phase proves to be a success, the programme may be extended to the rest of Singapore.

Back in 2016 and 2018, pilot trials were conducted in some 800 households in Punggol and Yuhua.

Around 10 per cent was found to have gone through unnoticed leaks until they learnt of the issue.

And with the incorporation of smart technology, these households were estimated to have saved a whopping 5 per cent in costs.

PUB director of water supply (network) Ridzuan Ismail said: “With increasing water demand and challenges posed by climate change on our water resources, we are also constantly challenged to find more efficient ways to supply water and conserve water, in order to safeguard Singapore’s water security.

“Smart water meters that can provide near real-time water use information will help to change consumer behaviour, (and) can give a major push to our water conservation efforts.”

Technology

Slowly but surely, we’re entering a whole new technological age.

Apart from a rapid increase in digital processing, we are also seeing the emergence of robots in different consumer sectors.

Over in China, a Tech company has come up with the mechanical version of a canine: AlphaDog.

Apart from behaving really similarly to a real dog, they are also absent of any major toilet incidents, and can even move at a speed of almost 15 kilometres per hour.

Meanwhile, other robotic aspects in Singapore include the likes of cleaning robots.

Robots were also designated the tasks of sending parcels and groceries, as well as food deliveries.

In addition, they have been deployed for false ceiling inspections, mapping of mosquitoes and, curiously, the turn-away of pigeons and mynahs.

Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) have even managed to link up plants to special electrodes, thus creating potential ‘robo-plants’.

Featured Image: spaxiax/ Shutterstock.com

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Zhi Hao
Email: [email protected]