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Smart utility network to help Anglian Water tackle water shortages

15.10.2020
By 2025, Anglian Water, located in East England, could face a projected water shortage of up to 30 million liters of water a day. To meet this challenge, the water utility is starting to deploy a smart water network to secure its water supply. The project involves the roll out of upgraded water meters in a joint effort between Sensus, a Xylem brand, and Arqiva, a U.K. communications infrastructure and media services provider.
Smart utility network to help Anglian Water tackle water shortages

Image Source: Xylem

With the new smart water network, Anglian Water will be able to quickly identify leaks and inform customers about how much water they are using.

“Our Water Resources Management Plan outlines how we’ll manage demand for water by installing upgraded meters to help customers understand their water usage, as well as helping us to pinpoint property-side leaks, which can lose hundreds of liters of water a day,” says Peter Simpson, CEO at Anglian Water.

Hourly usage readings on the Sensus network
Arqiva will operate the network for 15 years and manage more than three-quarters of a million Sensus meters in Norwich, Lincoln, Northampton and Peterborough, among other locations. Arqiva’s fully-managed service will transmit hourly usage readings back to Anglian Water – leveraging the two-way Sensus FlexNet communication network solution across Arqiva’s dedicated network. Frequent data collection will allow Anglian Water to better understand its customers’ water consumption.

“More than ever, utilities are seeking to conserve water and empower their customers to make smarter decisions about water usage,” said Patrick Decker, Xylem President and CEO. “This project with Anglian Water, and our managed network partner, Arqiva, exemplifies the power of data and smart technology to address water scarcity issues. It’s a foundational step toward a resilient and water-secure future for the region.”

“We share with Anglian the imperative that water efficiency is one of the most important considerations for water businesses around the world today,” says Alex Pannell, Executive Director, Commercial Broadcast and Utilities at Arqiva. “Anglian Water operates in the driest region of the UK and supplies one of the fastest growing populations, meaning projects like this are vital in helping to avoid water scarcity in the future.

The right data at the right time
As Anglian Water continues its digital transformation, analytics from Xylem will create further opportunities to manage water resources.
“Conservation starts with awareness of consumption and where leaks are happening,” says Colin Sabol, Senior Vice President and President at Xylem Measurement & Control Solutions. “This program will put data into the hands of Anglian and its customers, helping them understand and then reduce water loss and change consumption behavior. The right data at the right time puts utilities on the path to reduce non-revenue water and reach their customer service and sustainability goals.”

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