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Working every day to become more sustainable should be the focus of every company that is a large water user. WaterGroup is helping others become more sustainable through its technology and services.

Smart water metering and monitoring are crucial to sustainability and ESG practices. They are essential for water utilities and even more so for commercial and industrial property managers," said Guenter Hauber Davidson, Managing Director of WaterGroup, one of Australia’s largest water savings companies.

WaterGroup’s services and products help save water and money. They leverage the Internet of Things (IoT), innovation, and sustainable solutions. Water suppliers, local councils, and large water users in the industrial, commercial, retail, and institutional sectors can benefit from its expertise, design models, and engineering solutions.

These entities can reduce water usage and costs by implementing effective water metering and monitoring systems. “That also helps improve their ESG performance, and it contributes to a more sustainable future," Hauber-Davidson said.

WaterGroup’s smart water meter and monitoring solutions enable water utilities and property managers to track their water usage accurately. End-users can identify areas where water is being wasted or used inefficiently. This information can then be used to take action to reduce water usage and improve efficiency.

Leaks can be identified and repaired quickly. Water-intensive processes can be optimised to reduce water use – and cost.

“Woolworths is a great example of achieving environmental sustainability and operational outputs through smart water metering. They have dramatically reduced time, cost, and risks by addressing abnormal water usage across their stores. Last year, they saved 139,000kL through our services,” said Hauber-Davidson.  

How else is WaterGroup encouraging sustainability?

Effective water metering and monitoring can improve ESG performance, attract socially responsible investors, and enhance property managers' ESG rating. ESG is a framework used by investors to evaluate the sustainability and social impact of a company. ESG performance is becoming increasingly important to consumers, who are more likely to support companies prioritising sustainability and social responsibility.

Water metering and monitoring can help water utilities and property managers comply with regulatory requirements. Many jurisdictions have regulations to limit water usage and prevent water waste. Water utilities and property managers can ensure their companies comply with these regulations and avoid potential fines and penalties by implementing effective water metering and monitoring systems.

Real-time data on water usage promotes water conservation and raises awareness about sustainable water usage. Using this data, water utilities and property managers can encourage individuals and organisations to take action to reduce their water usage. For example, residents and tenants can be incentivised to reduce their water usage by providing real-time feedback on their actions to save water.

Smart water metering solution

WaterGroup's solutions, including smart water metering, an Active Water Analysis, Risk and Efficiency (AWARE) service, water efficiency, and leak detection, have saved customers money and water year on year.

The smart water metering solution provides near real-time insights into billing abnormalities and leaks. WaterGroup’s integrated NB-IoT smart water metering solution is instant switch on, can reach hard-to-access areas, is low cost and easy to deploy.

“Our UtiliOS platform and NB-IoT integration enable smart water meters and loggers to deliver actionable data. To get the maximum ROI, clients need a dedicated resource or a monitoring service like WaterGroup’s AWARE to turn their smart metering data into insights, actions, and solutions,” said Hauber-Davidson.

“With a proven track record, our AWARE service typically reduces a client's water usage by 10-15, and initially up to 25 per cent with a 2-3-year payback,“ he added.

WaterGroup’s smart water metering solution is flexible, cost-effective, modern, intelligent, and customer friendly. Providing a solution that integrates with existing legacy systems eliminates several cost centres. At the same time, WaterGroup’s solution allows for data transmission to relevant parties, whether to staff, tenants, and residents.

WaterGroup also sells a new-generation acoustic IoT data logger called SmartEAR. Designed for water networks, customers can reduce leakage rates, minimise water losses and improve operating costs. The data is securely transmitted quickly and reliably by offering both LTE-M and NB-IoT connectivity technology. SmartEAR is designed to be simple to install with its SmartEAR-GO app.

“One of the main obstacles for water utilities are installation and maintenance costs. Water network leak monitoring systems can be expensive to install and require ongoing maintenance to ensure their accuracy and reliability. This can make it difficult for water utilities to justify the investment, particularly where the cost of water is low or not sufficiently valued,” said Hauber-Davidson.

“With the SmartEAR, water utilities will reduce costs by no longer requiring two or even three different devices to detect a leak and transmit data to the cloud. The SmartEAR does it all in one. Labour costs are also noticeably reduced as these smart acoustic loggers can be installed in six easy steps with the SmartEAR-GO app in less than 60 seconds.

“To keep up with the increasing pressure on our water supplies due to the effect of climate change, we cannot stand still. We must continue to transform how we manage our water, especially now with renewed expectations of another, possibly even more severe, El Nino coming and the ensuing drought conditions. Now is the ideal time to add water monitoring solutions and reporting into ESG and sustainability policies to future proof assets.”

For more information, visit https://www.watergroup.com.au/