A water meter is a device that is used to track water usage. It helps not just in monitoring consumption but also t save money incurred on electricity used to pump the water and also energy consumption for functioning of sewage treatment plants. Metering groundwater use has become a self-evident best practice of Integrated Water Resource Management.

Some benefits of using water meters are:

  • Incentive to Conserve Water- Using a water meter acts as an incentive for the conservation of water
  • Volumetric Pricing- Save money by paying only as much as a person uses
  • Detect Water Wastage- It is important to monitor water wastage through leakages, dripping taps etc. Water meters will help analyze such problems
  • Estimating Subsidies-Authorities often subsidize water charges for those who cannot afford to pay for it. However, it is important to check water wastage in such scenarios, especially because the state authorities often have to bear a huge cut in their revenue when they offer subsidies. Water metering is an efficient way to understand usage and set targets when rolling out subsidies.

A smart water or energy grid refers to the integration and remote communication of information through enabling technologies such as sensors, meters, and automated controls that continuously and remotely monitor the water and electricity. The advancement of these innovative technologies has allowed an almost endless capacity to monitor any different parameters. For water distribution this includes pressure, quality, flow rates, temperature and leaks. In energy distribution systems, peak load shifting, losses and theft, resource storage and time of day demand are key features of smart energy grid.

 

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