Yorkshire Water is working with Itron on a new smart meter water leakage trial in Sheffield which it hopes could play a key role in its leakage reduction strategy, saving up to 250,000 litres of water per burst.
The 1100 Itron CybleTM meters will remotely send 15 minute water flow information back to Yorkshire Water every 12 hours. Using this data Yorkshire Water can identify when increases in demand are due to leakage and respond quickly. Using existing technology it is difficult to determine if increases in demand are due to customers consuming more water, or if there is a burst.
Sheffield was chosen as a location for the two-year pilot for geographical reasons. The hills in the city will test the capability of the wireless solution for transferring flow data. Also, its elevation and closeness to the Peak District means the area faces harsh winters and the associated challenges with leakage during freeze-thaw events.
The installations have begun, with the scheme being part of a wider £2 million project to create smart water networks in Sheffield and Hebden Bridge, which will look to reduce leakage and supply interruptions, whilst improving water quality
