NRW TECHNIQUES & SMART METERING TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES

ACWUA , AMMAN – JORDAN, 27-31 JANUARY 2013

WORLD DEMAND FOR WATER BY 2025

+22%

Sources: US Energy Information Agency and United NationsIN 48 COUNTRIES WILL FACE SCARCITY BY 2025

3 billion

THE NON REVENUE WATER CHALLENGE

Source: Global Water Intelligence (UK) , RiverNetwork (Portaland)

How to addresses the waste?

WATER CONSERVATION• Manage the increasing demand for water

• Reduce water losses

• Engage consumer in conservation efforts

» Itron Program to address Water Loss Reduction on Apparent loss

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNIZED CLASSIFICATION

10-12% of Total Volume

NRW LOSSES SEGMENTATION

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Volume (%)

BILLED AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTIONMeasured, low uncertainty (+/- 2%)

METER INACCURACIES AND DATA ERRORSEstimated, high uncertainty (+/- 30%)Low investment

REAL LOSSESCalculated by substraction, mid uncertainty (+/- 17%),High investments

UNBILLED AUTHORIZED CONSUMPTIONEstimated, high uncertainty (+/- 50%)

UNAUTHORIZED CONSUMPTIONEstimated, high uncertainty (+/- 50%)

Apparent Losses Represent 30% of overall losses (NRW)

SOURCES OF APPARENT LOSSES – METERING

METERING

BILLING

READING

At Start: Inadequate selectionWith time: Ageing, loss of accuracy

Typing errorPurposely mis-readingNo reading

Wrong index OverbillingRevenue loss

7

METERING ADDED-VALUE CHAINHow data becomes useful

Creation Collection Management Analysis Action

Intelligence from the very beginning and at every step.Data actionable starting with its creation.

Accuracy Reliability Efficiency Decision Effectiveness

12 Nov

Backflow - index Leakage detection High Peaks Values above threshold index

Values below threshold index

over & under sized meter flags

logging intervals Automatic time synchronisation

Meter reversed alarm

Meter blocked alarm Time of use index Event log book

SMART = no longer just a meter reading

868 MHz200mW/38400 B

GPRS/Ethernet

FTP Server

433MHz10mW/2400 B

Internet/Intranet link

UtilityMainframe(Billing System /CustomerInformationSystem)

CustomerCaresoftware

Data is automatically filtered and exported to the data center, billing system or knowledge applications.

EverBluSoftware

SYSTEM OVERVIEW – Medina City

EverBlu

Collector

Cyble, Pulse and Option Board

EverBlu

Access Point

Customerforecastingsoftware

Fixed Data Collection System (FDC)

Add Access Point to communicate with collector

•Total consumption in 21\7\2010 = 99909.5 m³.

•The meter was reversed in 27\7\2010.

•Then the meter was reinstalled again in the right position on 15\8\2010 at 10am. Total consumption = 99879 m³

•Total volume consumed during the time the meter was reversed is 121.274 m³ (29 m³ for the above mentioned duration + 95 m³ accumulated backflow)

•This Fraud was costing the Utility 1,140 m³ / year

TAMPER/FRAUD Detection

This example is about a real life tampering situation where the water meter was Re-Installed by the tenant to reduce the large consumption index of the meter.

LEAKAGE EXAMPLE Vacant Premises

LEAKAGE EXAMPLE Vacant Premises

LEAKAGE EXAMPLE Vacant Premises

Handhelds

HHU collection software

Meter Data Collection

Energy Forecasting

DistributionAsset

Optimization

RevenueProtection

Customer Care

Meter Data Management

Prepayment Managed Services

Metering

21

Data workflow

Field Data Collect Walk By System

Field Data Collect Drive By System

Field Data Collect Fixed Network System

Data Collect Software

Data Storage (MDM)

Viewer Data Access

Data ExportData Analysis and

Alarms management

A city with 100ku Customers: 24x365x100,000 = 876 Million Reads per Year!

DMA MANAGEMENT TO REDUCE LOSSES

Customer Care Software – My Meter Groups Screen

AggregatedDistrictFeb 15

12:00 AMAll readings are time

synchronized

DistrictMeter

Water Utility X:• 500k customers • Production 110 Million m3/year• Total Billed 70 Million m3/year• Top 1Ku customers consume 28 Mm3/year  

Itron program focus on the top 1k customers Investment €3 Million over 3 years• Additional invoicing of 5 Million m3/year• Value = 5 Million €/year additional Billing• Program duration 3years: €15 Million

Network efficiency

BeforeAfter

70/110 = 63.6% 75/110 = 68%

NRW 36.4% NRW 32%

 

REAL LIFE CASES (UTILITY NAME CONFIDENTIAL)

Water Utility Y:• 240k customers all residential • Production 28 Million m3/year• Total Billed 16 Million m3/year

 

Itron program focus on 120k customers

Investment €6 Million over 8 years• Additional invoicing of 2.5 Million m3/year• Value = 3.8M€/year additional Billing• Program duration 8 years: € 30 Million

 

Network efficiency

BeforeAfter

16/28 = 57% 18.5/28 = 66%

NRW 43% NRW 34%

Thank You