World’s First NB-IoT-based Water Leak Detection Technology

World’s First NB-IoT-based Water Leak Detection Technology

Swiss company Gutermann AG, a global leader in leak detection solutions for the water industry, today announced the release of Zonescan NB-IoT, the world’s first water leak detecting noise logger based on Narrowband Internet of Things (“NB-IoT”) for permanent monitoring of water distribution mains.

Gutermann will debut the technology December 4, which is the date of the inaugural World Water Loss Day and first day of the 2019 North America Water Loss Conference and Exhibition in Nashville, Tennessee. Successful pilot projects with the Zonescan NB-IoT have been concluded in France, the UK, and Australia. The projects reduced ramp-up time and lowered up-front investment for acoustic loggers used to monitor system wide water loss. In the U.S. alone, the EPA estimates the volume of water lost in distribution systems to be 1.7 trillion gallons at a cost of $2.6 billion.

NB-IoT is a new cellular communication standard optimized for machine-to-machine data communication in smart cities. NB-IoT significantly outperforms conventional 3G and 4G technology used in earlier generations of acoustic loggers, while the new technology consumes five to ten times less power with significantly improved underground coverage. Telecom operators worldwide have announced plans for complete NB-IoT coverage and are in the process of activating their NB-IoT antennas throughout their networks, allowing Gutermann to advance its product offering.

The Zonescan NB-IoT logger is Gutermann’s first cellular logger. It complements the company’s radio frequency-based Zonescan Alpha system which has established itself as the leading fixed network technology around the world, with adoption in more than 300 cities globally including Miami, Florida, one of the largest water users in the U.S.

Zonescan NB-IoT is a correlating system which means that the cloud-based Zonescan Net software automatically compares the data of all neighboring sensors every day to identify even quiet leaks whose existence are not recognized by individual loggers. A correlation indicator provides information about the area in which the leak has been identified, neatly displayed on a Google Maps™ enabled user interface. Zonescan Net also lets users see and manage their leak detection infrastructure, perform advanced leak analysis, import and display their GIS data, and change settings such as recording times, alarm thresholds and more.

“We are excited about the launch of this product because we see an enormous potential for it given the connectivity and power properties of the NB-IoT technology,” said Lucas Grolimund, CEO of Gutermann.

“We’re happy to once more lead the way in advanced fixed network leak monitoring solutions. Our hope is that the ZONESCAN NB-IoT logger will make permanent monitoring of networks more accessible to utilities due to its cost, ease of installation and compact design. It should therefore contribute to the rapid growth of technology-enabled smart water networks, helping to consistently reduce and maintain lower water loss levels.”

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