IoT smart water meters in Belgium

The project will start with the installation of 1,000 smart meters as a test phase for one year. After seeing the positive results of this pilot project, water-link will begin deployment of 205,000 smart meters throughout the City of Antwerp that will be installed within four years.

That means every resident of Antwerp will have a smart water meter by 2020, which will allow them to remotely check their water consumption every day through the wireless network deployed and operated in Belgium by ENGIE M2M and based on the SIGFOX dedicated IoT connectivity solution.

Benefits for users include:
• Convenience: users don’t have to provide the usage figures on the water meter and/or be present during the opening or the re-opening of the water intake
• More sustainable and cost effective thanks to faster leak detection
• Real-time billing: eliminates surprises at the end of the year
• Avoids additional damages: property owners now can remotely turn off the water intake in case, for example, of a broken water pipe or water leaks in vacant buildings 
• Rational use of the water and budget control thanks to a more precise reports of water consumption 
• Reduced damages due to humidity: the smart water meter detects frost risks
• Less fraud: smart meters assure billing accuracy
• Avoids water-supply disruptions: clients who have difficulty paying their water bills can be closely tracked and better supervised. Anticipated payments ensure better financial control and a minimum of provision can now be envisioned
• Increased security: remote meter reading reduces opportunities for burglars posing as water-link employees to have access to the building.