Digital solutions
Innovative Hydro-Powered Smart Water Meter Project
In response to growing water scarcity and rising bills, Northumbrian Water has led a groundbreaking project, supported by SUEZ and a consortium of experts to develop a household smart water meter that powers itself using the flow of water. This innovation aims to provide real-time, detailed water usage data, empowering customers and utilities to better manage consumption and protect this vital resource.
Addressing a Critical Water Challenge
England currently consumes approximately 14 billion litres of water daily, yet projections warn of a daily shortfall exceeding six billion litres by 2055 without urgent action. The Environment Agency highlights the need for more homes to be equipped with smart water metres reporting real-time usage, crucial in driving conservation and managing supply pressures.
Like smart energy meters, water customers require timely insights into their consumption to encourage efficient use. However, current Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) water metres are battery-powered, limiting data recording to hourly intervals and communication only a few times daily.
NWG’s Hydro-Powered Smart Meter project, funded by the Ofwat Innovation Fund through the Breakthrough 3: Catalyst competition (with £874,954 awarded), set out to change this by harnessing water flow to generate continuous power.
Advanced Development and Testing
The project involved a broad consortium including SUEZ Advanced Solutions UK, HYDRAO (Smart and Blue), Octo Design Ltd, PDL Solutions, Synthotech Ltd, The Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd, and several UK water companies.
Development began with designing multiple turbine and generator concepts for integration within a concentric water meter. Optimisation using flow simulation software led to prototype builds tested at SUEZ’s Certification Labs to identify the most efficient design.
Parallel industry and customer surveys, alongside workshops, helped focus efforts on integrating pressure sensors—adding critical monitoring capabilities for leakage detection. A bespoke software simulator was created to evaluate power generation and consumption across different scenarios.
The final ‘Beta’ prototypes incorporated sensors and rechargeable battery technology. While it was not possible to fully eliminate batteries, the hybrid system significantly reduces reliance on disposable batteries and provides enough power for real-time data transmission. Without the turbine, comparable functionality would require five standard batteries with a lifespan of just 10 years.
Impactful Benefits
The potential longer-term impacts of the project align with Ofwat’s strategic innovation themes in the following ways:
o Leakage Reduction: Additional power supports pressure sensors within District Metered Areas, improving accuracy
in identifying and addressing leaks, contributing to Ofwat’s zero leakage ambition.
o Operational Efficiency and Resilience: Continuous, detailed data streams enable utilities to monitor network health
more effectively and respond proactively to demand fluctuations.
o Customer Empowerment and Engagement: Real-time insights facilitate new services that encourage households
to manage personal water consumption responsibly.
Recognition for Creativity & Innovation
The Hydro-Powered Smart Meter project recently became a finalist in the GEM (Going the Extra Mile) Awards, NWG’s supplier recognition programme celebrating partners who demonstrate excellence and contribute to sustainable water and wastewater services. This accolade highlights the collaboration’s innovation and vital role in advancing the UK water sector.
Project Completion: August 2025
Click on the link for the GEM Awards Details
England currently consumes approximately 14 billion litres of water daily, yet projections warn of a daily shortfall exceeding six billion litres by 2055 without urgent action. The Environment Agency highlights the need for more homes to be equipped with smart water metres reporting real-time usage, crucial in driving conservation and managing supply pressures.
Like smart energy meters, water customers require timely insights into their consumption to encourage efficient use. However, current Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) water metres are battery-powered, limiting data recording to hourly intervals and communication only a few times daily.
NWG’s Hydro-Powered Smart Meter project, funded by the Ofwat Innovation Fund through the Breakthrough 3: Catalyst competition (with £874,954 awarded), set out to change this by harnessing water flow to generate continuous power.
Advanced Development and Testing
The project involved a broad consortium including SUEZ Advanced Solutions UK, HYDRAO (Smart and Blue), Octo Design Ltd, PDL Solutions, Synthotech Ltd, The Manufacturing Technology Centre Ltd, and several UK water companies.
Development began with designing multiple turbine and generator concepts for integration within a concentric water meter. Optimisation using flow simulation software led to prototype builds tested at SUEZ’s Certification Labs to identify the most efficient design.
Parallel industry and customer surveys, alongside workshops, helped focus efforts on integrating pressure sensors—adding critical monitoring capabilities for leakage detection. A bespoke software simulator was created to evaluate power generation and consumption across different scenarios.
The final ‘Beta’ prototypes incorporated sensors and rechargeable battery technology. While it was not possible to fully eliminate batteries, the hybrid system significantly reduces reliance on disposable batteries and provides enough power for real-time data transmission. Without the turbine, comparable functionality would require five standard batteries with a lifespan of just 10 years.
Impactful Benefits
The potential longer-term impacts of the project align with Ofwat’s strategic innovation themes in the following ways:
o Leakage Reduction: Additional power supports pressure sensors within District Metered Areas, improving accuracy
in identifying and addressing leaks, contributing to Ofwat’s zero leakage ambition.
o Operational Efficiency and Resilience: Continuous, detailed data streams enable utilities to monitor network health
more effectively and respond proactively to demand fluctuations.
o Customer Empowerment and Engagement: Real-time insights facilitate new services that encourage households
to manage personal water consumption responsibly.
Recognition for Creativity & Innovation
The Hydro-Powered Smart Meter project recently became a finalist in the GEM (Going the Extra Mile) Awards, NWG’s supplier recognition programme celebrating partners who demonstrate excellence and contribute to sustainable water and wastewater services. This accolade highlights the collaboration’s innovation and vital role in advancing the UK water sector.
Project Completion: August 2025
Click on the link for the GEM Awards Details
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