SINGAPORE: National water agency PUB said on Friday (Apr 12) that it will install 300,000 smart water meters across Singapore by 2023, in a move that will allow customers to track their daily water usage via a mobile app.
The meters will be installed in new and existing residential, commercial and industrial premises, with the first of these to be rolled out from early 2021.
AdvertisementThe deployment of smart water meters is part of PUB's push to use digital technologies to encourage water conservation as well as help with water demand management and operations.
[h=3]READ: PUB looking to roll out automated meter reading system to encourage water conservation: Masagos Zulkifli[/h]It comes on the back of two pilot trials in Punggol and Yuhua - in 2016 and 2018, respectively - which the agency said yielded successful results.
During the trials, 800 households reported an average 5 per cent in water savings with early leak detection and good water-saving habits, said PUB.
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There are currently about 1.6 million water meters at domestic and non-domestic premises across Singapore.
Meters are read manually once every two months, and customers are billed every month with their water consumption estimated every alternate month.
Smart water meters will make manual readings redundant as the devices can read and remotely transmit water consumption data back to PUB several times a day, according to the release.
"This will improve resource efficiency and augment PUB’s capabilities in early leak detection within the water supply network and in customers’ premises," it said.
Customers can also track their daily water usage through a mobile app or online, and will receive notifications about high water usage and leaks.
Describing the smart meter as "the water equivalent of the speedometer and fuel gauge", PUB's chief executive Ng Joo Hee said the devices would empower customers to become "smarter users of water".
"Enabled by information on tap - something previously unavailable to end-consumers - we are convinced that they will be able to meaningfully adjust behaviour and become more efficient consumers, saving water and money in the process," said Mr Ng.
PUB on Friday called a tender to appoint an advanced metering infrastructure specialist "to evaluate and advise on meter devices and technology, communications protocol and provide insights for enhancing operational efficiency and water savings".
It will subsequently call a tender in the first quarter of 2020 for the installation of the 300,000 smart water meters.
The water agency will review the first phase of its rollout before implementing the infrastructure for the rest of Singapore, it said.
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