Sentry meters, to detect water leaks in the network
The pilot project involving the installation of Kamstrup meters was carried out in Conselice, near Ravenna, and yielded excellent results. The tests now continue in Modena, covering a larger area
The Flow IQ® 2200 manufactured by Kamstrup, a well-established European supplier, is a sentry meter that can “listen” to the network thanks to a built-in hydrophone, i.e. a sensor designed to capture sounds and other acoustic signals underwater, which in this case is able to detect the noise associated with any water leaks.
By placing the meters at strategic points in the network, about 50 metres apart, it is possible to create a grid within which continuous monitoring can be carried out.
The meters transmit to a digital platform (called the LeakDetector) the minimum value of noise detected in 24 hours: if this is high, the meters will be highlighted with different alarm levels and analysis of the data will make it possible to identify whether it is indeed a water leak.
If a leak or break code is activated for a meter, the customer will be notified promptly by our technicians.
The meter testing phase started in May 2022 with the installation of more than 900 meters in the municipality of Conselice, where continuous monitoring of the water network began in September 2022 with real-time analysis of the leaks present, thereby allowing targeted intervention for repairs.
It is planned to continue testing over a wider area, starting with Modena, where 1,300 meters are being installed.
The meters are extremely reliable, the leak and break indications that were verified were correct and no false positives were found.
We intervened before customers called us: many leaks were repaired the day after they appeared, whereas previously some leaks would only have been detected following issue of a bill with an unusually high consumption figure.
Compared to the installation of standard meters, the main difference is that with Flow IQ® 2200s, a permanent water leak monitoring system is put in place. Kamstrup meters are also smart meters and automatically send data to the portal.
If the meters are correctly positioned, field localisation is quick because the area to be investigated is confined.
The system interfaces seamlessly with other company monitoring tools.
By correctly establishing the number of meters required, good network coverage is achieved without an unsustainable increase in costs.
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