Business water metering: what’s changing and how can technology improve your water efficiency?

Business water metering technology is changing, giving businesses better visibility of their consumption and more opportunities to reduce water waste. Here’s how.

Smart technologies have gradually become a part of everyday life. And it’s likely by now that you are familiar with the concept of smart water meters – in much the same way as you’ll know about energy smart meters. While much of the public conversation around these tools has focused on households, the technology also has massive significance for the business community – not just in water intensive industries but in all settings where water bills are a growing concern amidst rising overheads.

Instead of relying on infrequent and ad-hoc meter readings, smart water meters provide much more regular and reliable information about water consumption. That could help businesses understand how they are using water, identify unusual usage habits and spot potential problems earlier than they would with traditional meters.

What’s changing with business water metering?

You might have already heard that smart meters are being rolled out domestically across the country as part of a wider push to manage water demand and improve resilience. Historically, uptake among businesses has been relatively low. Environment Agency analysis of water company plans found that only around 4% of non-household properties were smart metered at the time of its review.

However, this is expected to change considerably over the coming years. Water companies are planning to increase smart water metering in non-household properties to 55% by 2030, 73% by 2040 and 74% by 2050. With this in mind, it’s safe to say, the days of a traditional water meter that just gives a reading could be behind us sooner rather than later.

Why does better water data matter to businesses?

A smart water meter doesn’t just provide a single reading. By collecting data more frequently, it can give businesses a much clearer picture of when and how much water they’re using. That makes unusual consumption easier to spot.

If water usage suddenly increases, remains unexpectedly high overnight or changes significantly from its normal pattern, the data could help flag a potential leak or another issue that needs investigating.

It can also help businesses identify patterns in their consumption. By comparing water use across different days, shifts or periods of activity, it is possible to identify opportunities to improve efficiency.

At a time when many businesses in the UK are watching their bottom line carefully, this kind of visibility is incredibly valuable.

How can technology improve water efficiency?

One of the biggest advantages of smart metering is reducing reliance on manual readings.

More frequent meter data can give businesses greater visibility of consumption and help identify anomalies sooner than infrequent and irregular readings might.

This can be particularly helpful in spotting hidden leaks. A leak that goes unnoticed between manual meter readings can waste significant quantities of water before somebody spots it. With better consumption data and alerts, unusual usage could be identified earlier.

But technology does not stop at meters either. Newer technologies like smart faucets and moisture sensors are also helping businesses cut consumption. This includes taps that shut off automatically and help reduce consumption by up to 40% and moisture sensors that stop irrigation systems running when they aren’t required.

What can businesses do now?

With utility bills on the rise, water is often overlooked as an opportunity for cost savings but it’s important to note that every drop – whether it’s a leak or general consumption – can be a drain on business profitability. Not to mention the environmental implications of unnecessary water consumption. While the quickest way to save money is often to complete a business water switch, this alone will not help you bring your organisation’s consumption down.

The good news is that as smart water meters become more readily available throughout the UK – and plays a significant role in our own strategy for helping with lowering bills and water conservation at Everflow – businesses like yours can gain a better grasp on what water usage should look like.

Contact Everflow today!

At Everflow, our goal is to make your utilities simpler – we ensure you get great-value contracts that are tailored to your needs and easy to manage. Get a bespoke quote using the link below.

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