The main takeaway from this episode is that:

1. The returns for water efficiency outweigh investment costs in less than 5 years2. Training and creating awareness helps to make the transition of moving to smart meters easier3. With the Industry 4.0 wave coming on, technology can now be affordably used to increase efficiency and increase competitiveness

Kenya’s National Water Services Strategy goal is to reduce the quantity of nonrevenue water to under 30%. This is a far cry from the current rate of 54% which is leaking approximately Ksh250M from the economy every year. 

Nelson Bwogora of Majipay shares his thoughts on how organisations can make the move from analogue to smart water metering 

Why it’s a good time to consider smart water metering

With Kenya’s population approaching 50 million, the water demand is only going to balloon further. This thirst calls for efficiency systems of harvesting, processing and supplying clean water to end-users. Other compelling reasons for why a transition now is important are:

* There is reliable network coverage to support long-range communication* Mobile payment avenues are easy to access and integrate into smart water metering infrastructure * Efficient use of water will help reduce recurring monthly costs * Property value increases because of efficient systems

Clean Water Losses

Clean water distribution systems face two major sources of loss:

* Physical losses. These losses occur due to instances like leaks.* Apparent losses. They comprise of losses due to meter fault, inaccuracies in meter reading or the lack of a meter for an end-user.

AMR vs AMI?

Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) is an older technology used to collect data from utility meters through a way communication infrastructure. 

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is signified by modern utility meters. These meters can interact with both customers and the utility through updating tariffs. They can also transmit consumption data at various times of the day. 

Who are the beneficiaries of smart metering systems?

The main beneficiaries are the end-user. With efficient harvesting, treatment and distribution channels, end-users can:

* Enjoy more water availability* Lower water charges* Increase their productivity

From a services provider’s point they also benefit from:

* Reduced system losses* Account for all consumption* Faster billing and reporting* Access to real-time information on customer consumption trends

What motivates organisations to make the move to smart water meters?

Smart water metering offers a way to account for consumption at various times. It also means that organisations can uncover their areas of wastage and implement ways to reduce it. 

Investment costs are also becoming part of the conversations. Even though smart water meters start in the region of $100 per unit, these costs are quickly coming down. 

Water monitoring and efficiency projects also tend to have payback periods of less than 5 years, making them attractive investment options

What considerations should be aware of while getting into smar...