These words, valid for multiple applications, are absolutely applicable to water, our basic natural resource, limited and scarce.
Social awareness about the need to value and care for this resource has become a basic requirement worldwide, and especially in those areas where water is scarcer.
Hence, water supply companies have to be constantly watchful about the maintenance of facilities, energy costs, or the impact of their operations on the environment.
In this context, supply companies have to tackle new challenges such as optimising water supply networks or decreasing operating costs, among others. To do it, they need to implement tools, particularly technological tools, to enable increased automation of distribution networks, control of leaks and unusually high consumptions, etc., as well as establish decision-making procedures that provide an added value.
Sensus focuses its activity in the development of meters, measurement solutions and systems with a broad technological approach
In this regard, and according to recent studies related to the water industry and the evolution of water cycle management and control over the medium term, new technologies will play a key role in automated reading and data recording and analysis, applying concepts such as artificial intelligence, able to warn about any issues as soon as they occur.
It is an evolution that tends towards the modernisation of infrastructure and a new way to understand data reading and management.
With this approach, Sensus, a global leading company with more than 170 years of experience in the metering sector, focuses its activity in the development of meters, measurement solutions and systems with a broad technological approach.
Sensus became a pioneering company in the development of a technology specifically designed for the integrated water management sector. In fact, iPERL was the first water meter using solid state technology in the market to be used for drinking water applications, that is, a proof of our commitment to offer maximum quality and reliability of water consumption readings.
In this regard, iPERL by Sensus is a water meter that has become established in the market as a revolutionary device, with outstanding technology, and providing unmatched reading precision, reliability and accuracy. The big difference with the rest of solid-state meters is that iPERL uses remnant magnetic field technology, and that offers a linear measuring range for any flow rate.
Many water utilities have chosen and confirmed the benefits of iPERL technology both nationally and internationally. All of them stress the advantages the sensor provides, mainly concerning precise reading and measurement tasks. Some cases are described next to show some examples of its uses.
The Solsones Water Supply Association of Municipalities is a local entity in the Solsona district, in the province of Lleida, Spain, in charge of water supply service management and projects for the district. Currently, the entity comprises 11 municipalities and has a water supply network of more than 744 km which includes 1,736 connections, in a geographical area of about 710 km2. There are 1424 users in the district.
The search of new alternatives for the water distribution system arises from the need to standardise the meter fleet. They chose Sensus since it has the most advanced metering technology in the market, offering faster and efficient reading, which can be done remotely. Before, the reading process used to take approximately two weeks because the meters are scattered over a large area; this was one of the problems the Association of Municipalities wanted to solve urgently. Hence, once again, the Solsones Association of Municipalities chose Sensus, given they were very pleased with the business relationship. In fact, the installation of iPERL meters has meant a 90% performance increase in the water supply.
iPERL by Sensus is a water meter that has become established in the market as a revolutionary device, with outstanding technology
We can find another example in the municipality of Vilademuls, in the province of Girona (Spain). It is the largest municipality in terms of surface area in the whole district of Pla de l'Estany, with approximately 62 km2, comprising 12 small villages scattered over that area.
Again, one of the difficulties faced was that the population is scattered over a large area, so reading the meters would take 15 days. This caused reliability problems, and specially, information was lacking about the status of the network. On the other hand, the meter fleet was very old, so replacing them was a priority. Therefore, they sought a solution to reduce the amount of time spent in the reading process, and to ensure the precision of measurements.
Once all alternatives were analysed, Vilademuls chose Sensus, and specifically the iPERL sensor to replace their entire fleet of meters, since this solution was the most suitable for the needs of this municipality, given the easy installation, remote reading, guaranteed precision and durability. It was, in essence, a forward-looking investment.
Another advantage observed after the installation of iPERL in this Catalonian municipality is a considerable reduction in the time spent reading, because the iPERL sensor is very easy to read, provides clear and concise information, practically in real time, and allows detecting potential leaks in the distribution network.
The case of Aguas de Arguineguín, in the island of Gran Canaria (Canary Islands), is particularly noteworthy. Reading precision and accuracy are very important in this setting, given that in the island drinking water is especially valuable. Moreover, it is a tourist area. The utility provides services to hotels, resorts and apartments, where accurate control of consumption and accurate reading are essential.
iPERL uses remnant magnetic field technology, and that offers a linear measuring range for any flow rate
Therefore, Aguas de Arguineguín needed a product that is effective and very precise, offering real reading data as quickly as possible; technology and data reliability play an essential role in this regard. In addition, remote reading is also very useful for this utility.
A year after installing these meters, they have met the remote reading needs of Aguas de Arguineguín, with additional advantages such as maximum reading precision, something that the utility highlights as a great advantage that allows them to obtain real time information about the water supply.
iPERL, an international success
We can also find cases where iPERL has become a crucial tool for appropriate water management in other European countries.
The French utility Eau Services Haute Durance (ESHD), in charge of the water supply in six municipalities of the Briançonnais basin (French Alps), with a total of 13,500 users, has chosen the iPERL range of smart solutions by Sensus to optimise the management of its water supply networks as well as meter reading.
As part of an initiative to replace the municipal fleet of water meters, ESHD established a smart metering system, in order to improve the management of the water supply network and provide a value-added service to users.
Throughout 2018, more than 13,000 iPERL solid state meters by Sensus were installed. These measurement devices have shown benefits in terms of data reliability and accuracy. Daily readings allow constant data collection, sending the data directly to the billing system. Hence, since their implementation, the utility has more accurate and precise data on real water consumption.
We estimate that new technologies will play a key role in automated reading, data recording and analysis
Another example of the success of iPERL is the Italian water utility Amiacque, that trusted the quality, sturdiness, reliability and effectiveness of the revolutionary Sensus' iPERL meters, and installed 20,000 of them.
These iPERL sensors provide coverage in the metropolitan area of Milan, Monza, Brianza, Pacia, Varese and Como, in northern Italy. This is thanks to the product's easy walk by/drive by reading, fast and efficient, that enables obtaining the information remotely, with no need for physical infrastructure. The benefits realised so far are such that the utility is considering expanding the fleet of iPERL meters in the future.
Future outlook
In Spain, more than 80 municipal water operators have already experienced the qualities of iPERL. It is a revolutionary solution for solid state measurement of water consumption, offering high precision, as well as protection from fraud and tampering, making it the most effective and reliable tool in the market.
