Anglian Water is starting a smart water metering fixed network trial as part of its plans for a long-term smart metering programme. It is intended that customers taking part in the trial will have online access to their consumption data.

 In partnership with utility technology provider Sensus, the four-year contract will see communications infrastructure and media services company Arqiva build the fixed network infrastructure to facilitate the deployment and operation of 7,500 new smart water meters in and around Newmarket, Suffolk.

 Newmarket is the site of a project that Anglian Water is calling its ‘Innovation Shop Window’ – a place where the company will test and showcase its latest innovation projects, as it seeks to create the water company of the future.

Three of the key objectives of the Shop Window are to achieve 100 per cent customer satisfaction, ensure zero bursts or leakage and reduce water consumption to 80 litres per head, per day. The trial has been set up to demonstrate the contribution that fixed network smart water metering can make towards these goals.

 Throughout the trial, Sensus smart water meters covering both residential and non-residential properties will transmit hourly usage readings via the Arqiva network back to Anglian Water. The data will enable Anglian Water to better understand customer water consumption, and to quickly identify unusual patterns of use that might indicate a burst or a leak.

The two-way communications capability of the fixed network will also enable Anglian Water to remotely reconfigure meters to deliver more frequent meter readings (every 15 minutes) for even more accurate identification of system leakage. It is intended that customers taking part in the trial will have online access to their consumption data, and will be given guidance and advice to minimise their water consumption.

This proactive method of identifying leaks means Anglian Water’s teams can get out and fix them sooner.  If, on inspection, the leak is found to be on a customer’s private pipe network, the company can let the customer know so that they can get it repaired.

 Paul Glass, Anglian Water’s Programme Manager for the smart metering initiative, said:

“Long-term access to secure supplies of water is one of the most pressing environmental and economic challenges the world faces today, and that challenge is particularly acute in the east of England, which is the driest region in the UK. Getting to grips with it is not something that can wait until tomorrow. We want to lead the way in raising awareness about how essential water is to life, people and the environment, but also draw attention to the role technologies like this can have in helping address the challenges of a growing population and changing climate.”

“Smart metering has a key role to play in giving our customers access to information about their water use – helping them to understand how much water they are using, and therefore how to reduce their consumption and bills. In combination with our efforts on the wider network, this will help secure water supplies for the future.”