Malta improves network efficiency and customer satisfaction with SUEZ’s smart water meter technology
Maltese authorities sought to better conserve and accurately manage the island nation’s limited water resources while offering new services to its 430 000 inhabitants and encouraging a responsible behavior towards water consumption. SUEZ has deployed in 2010 a smart water meter technology that enables Malta’s people to get accurate readings on consumption and bills.
Our mission
Facing significant challenges of water resource and demand management
The Mediterranean island of Malta is an archipelago confronted with unique resource challenges. Welcoming 1.8 million tourists per year more than quadruples its population, making this small country one of the world’s most densely populated. The absence of rivers or lakes on the island also makes it among the 10 poorest in terms of natural water resources per head.
Conscious of the significant water scarcity across the island, the island’s public water utility, Water Services Corporation, had been proactive, implementing voluntary policies for pragmatic water resource management in the mid-1990s. After moving forward with seawater desalination, the archipelago followed through on its engagement with radical action to stop water loss on the distribution network, as well as reduce leaks at their most base levels.
Malta partnered with SUEZ and IBM to implement smart water meters that monitor water consumption with precision on a daily basis, to offer new services to its customers and increase the operational efficiency of the public water service.
Conscious of the significant water scarcity across the island, the island’s public water utility, Water Services Corporation, had been proactive, implementing voluntary policies for pragmatic water resource management in the mid-1990s. After moving forward with seawater desalination, the archipelago followed through on its engagement with radical action to stop water loss on the distribution network, as well as reduce leaks at their most base levels.
Malta partnered with SUEZ and IBM to implement smart water meters that monitor water consumption with precision on a daily basis, to offer new services to its customers and increase the operational efficiency of the public water service.
Our response
Taking action to stop water loss and reduce leaks
In 2010, we have deployed 250 000 SUEZ ON’connectTM modules retro-fitted on water meters, as well as 220 receivers across the entire 360 km2 Maltese Islands.
ON’connectTM is a smart water meter technology based on 169 MHz, a long-range radio transmission bandwidth designated for such use by the E.U. Receivers collect the data and convey it to a dedicated IT system for processing. Access to the hourly readings allows monitoring of water consumption that can be used to quickly identify abnormal consumption and leaks at any time.
ON’connectTM is a smart water meter technology based on 169 MHz, a long-range radio transmission bandwidth designated for such use by the E.U. Receivers collect the data and convey it to a dedicated IT system for processing. Access to the hourly readings allows monitoring of water consumption that can be used to quickly identify abnormal consumption and leaks at any time.
250,000
ON’ConnectTM modules
220
Receivers deployed in 2010
The results
Water resource preservation, high reactivity and accurate water bills thanks to our ON’connectTM solution
The infrastructure has reaped a number of strategic goals including increased customer satisfaction and engagement, improved commercial cycle efficiencies, improved network management, proactive demand management and better environmental performance.
Today, thanks to the smart metering solution, Water Services Corporation benefits from an hourly readout of water consumption with data automatically collected and processed by the IT system. Abnormal consumption? Sensors installed on the meters allow the problem to be identified and the client is alerted in the shortest timeframe possible. A detected leak is rapidly addressed, and the water loss stemmed.
For the last eleven years, Water Services Corporation has thus been able to optimize the drinking water network’s yield by reacting efficiently to leaks. Inhabitants can also manage their consumption and act accordingly in instances of excess increase. The result: a bill that truly corresponds to the volumes of water that have been consumed.
ON’connectTM provided a solution that allows the island to continue modernizing its water services while conserving its resources: the implementation of this technology brought Malta’s Water Services Corporation savings across the board.
Today, thanks to the smart metering solution, Water Services Corporation benefits from an hourly readout of water consumption with data automatically collected and processed by the IT system. Abnormal consumption? Sensors installed on the meters allow the problem to be identified and the client is alerted in the shortest timeframe possible. A detected leak is rapidly addressed, and the water loss stemmed.
For the last eleven years, Water Services Corporation has thus been able to optimize the drinking water network’s yield by reacting efficiently to leaks. Inhabitants can also manage their consumption and act accordingly in instances of excess increase. The result: a bill that truly corresponds to the volumes of water that have been consumed.
ON’connectTM provided a solution that allows the island to continue modernizing its water services while conserving its resources: the implementation of this technology brought Malta’s Water Services Corporation savings across the board.