A deal has been signed today between water-link and the ENGIE Fabricom – Hydroko joint venture to install smart meters in Antwerp, which marks the first new project of this kind in Belgium.
The project will start with the installation of 1,000 smart meters as a test phase for one year. After seeing the positive results of this pilot project, water-link will begin deployment of 205,000 smart meters throughout the City of Antwerp that will be installed within four years.
That means every resident of Antwerp will have a smart water meter by 2020, which will allow them to remotely check their water consumption every day through the wireless network deployed and operated in Belgium by ENGIE M2M and based on the SIGFOX dedicated Internet of Things connectivity solution.
Benefits for users include:
- Convenience: users don’t have to provide the usage figures on the water meter and or be present during the opening or the re-opening of the water intake
- More sustainable and cost effective thanks to faster leak detection
- Real-time billing: eliminates surprises at the end of the year
- Avoids additional damages: property owners now can remotely turn off the water intake in case, for example, of a broken water pipe or water leaks in vacant buildings
- Rational use of the water and budget control thanks to a more precise reports of water consumption
- Reduced damages due to humidity: the smart water meter detects frost risks
- Less fraud: smart meters assure billing accuracy
- Avoids water-supply disruptions: clients who have difficulty paying their water bills can be closely tracked and better supervised. Anticipated payments ensure better financial control and a minimum of provision can now be envisioned
- Increased security: remote meter reading reduces opportunities for burglars posing as water-Link employees to have access to the building.
About Water-link
Water-link – formerly AWW – is the integrated water company of Grand Anvers and its surroundings. Water-link is one of the main surface water producers in Benelux. Each year, the company produces and delivers over 150 million m3of water. More info on http://Water-link-jaarverslag.be/
About Hydroko
Hydroko NV is a well-known supplier for water utilities in Belgium. Hydroko is distributing and producing high-quality valves for more than 30 years. Once recognized that water companies have a need for a more sophisticated way to control the water flow in their networks, Hydroko started to innovate the “HydroKonekt Smart.” This is an automated valve that can be controlled from anywhere at any time by the water supplier. The “HydroKonekt Smart” can also send data automatically from the water meter via several communication technologies. Development, production and logistics are based in Kapelle op den Bos (Belgium). More info on http://en.hydroko.com/about-hydroko/
About Engie Fabricom
ENGIE Fabricom boasts over 60 years of experience and specialized installations know-how in Electrical & Instrumentation, Piping & Mechanical and Automation & Process Control.
ENGIE Fabricom and its subsidiaries employ over 6500 employees who offer expert solutions in a variety of technical fields covering five major markets: Infrastructure, Tertiary, Industry, Energy, and Oil & Gas. The company has registered a turnover of €1.15 billion in 2015. www.engie-fabricom.com
