When everybody talks about increasing prices, WaterGroup, Australia's prominent smart water utility metering and service provider, is dropping them. Today the company announced the launch of a one-time offer of a trial package for their SmartEAR leak detection system. Water utilities can now experience fast and affordable leak detection across their networks.
The package includes everything required to get started: The SmartEAR noise loggers, installation, project management, access to the Poseyedon platform, and the SmartEAR-GO app. The package comes in two sizes. The small one comprises ten devices sufficient to monitor up to 4km of pipeline(s). The larger package can survey over 10km of pipe network with 25 devices.
"These are very attractive packages tailored to address water loss fast with a low-cost investment to support a future business case", says Guenter Hauber-Davidson, Managing Director of WaterGroup.
Modern IoT technologies allow monitoring of critical or troublesome water mains. The SmartEAR makes it easy to detect leaks in water networks. Instead of requiring two or even three devices to detect a leak, record and send the data to the cloud, the SmartEAR does it all in one.
"We are excited about the many new developments incorporated into the SmartEAR. Bursts resulting in costly repairs and shutdown of major arterial roads should be a thing of the past. It allows recording up to 10s noise files at configurable times and intervals. Together with its cloud-based monitoring platform Poseyedon, it provides Australian utilities with previously unavailable opportunities to detect leaks when they happen as opposed to when customers call in", says Guenter Hauber-Davidson, Managing Director of WaterGroup.
"Handy, robust, durable, easy and quick to install, these are the statements of some recent SmartEAR test customers ", adds Guenter.
This small powerhouse, with a battery life of up to 9 years, can conveniently and flexibly be accommodated in below-ground hydrants or valve boxes. Apart from displaying the data and offering the device management interface, the 'SmartEAR-GO!' app provides a guided installation routine with step-by-step instructions. It also includes an antenna test. Open and close the lid, and it will measure the current signal strength and quality in one-second intervals. If required, the signal can be boosted by various external antenna solutions.
The SmartEAR comes pre-programmed to enable quick leak detection. Thanks to the built-in NB-IoT / CAT-M1 combi module and its magnetic attachment, it is a simple plug & play installation.
"Once customers receive the SmartEAR from us, they are assigned to a cloud customer account. The respective measurement data is then fed directly to them. The specific GPS positions of the SmartEAR can either be recorded or saved on-site in seconds, using the SmartEAR-GO App or later in the office via the site manager function of the Poseyedon Cloud", says Guenter Hauber Davidson, Managing Director of WaterGroup.
Once in operation, the SmartEAR determines daily the probability of leakage in the water network.
"We think this smart, next-generation IoT noise logger, together with the optimally coordinated smartphone app for easy commissioning and the also new and optimised database-based cloud platform "POSEYEDON", form a coherent end-to-end concept that will enable Australian utilities to locate leaks in their supply network in a targeted and effective manner in the shortest possible time. Within months, customers can drastically reduce leak rates, minimise water losses, reduce energy and operating costs, and begin recovering acquisition costs.
We trust Water Utilities will take up this trial package fast. It will only be available until 30 June 2023 for the first six utilities." Guenter adds.
