RALEIGH, NC, Jan. 21, 2014 -- An Arizona water utility company recently adopted a new smart water network and automation technology to help better read water meters, remotely monitor water wells and tanks, and improve overall operations.
Provided by Sensus, a provider of clean technology solutions, the automation technology turns wells on or off based on how much water is in the water tanks and sends alerts when the water hits a certain level. Alerts are also sent about power outages -- a downside of frequent heavy snowfalls in the region.
"It is cost-effective to no longer deal with the daily water site visits. We can say goodbye to overtime, carbon emissions and being unsure about what is going on with our system," said Carol Benson, office manager at Pinetop Water. "And staff that previously spent time manually monitoring are now doing proactive upgrades to our system."
Automation, once only associated with electric utilities, enables the water utility to have constant access to water data from the safety and comfort of their office using a computer, tablet or even smartphone. Water tanks are a key system component, holding water pumped from the well prior to customer use.
Pinetop also relies on Sensus' data centers to manage the network and provide data management services. With a staff of only five people, outsourcing data management enables Pinetop to reap the full benefits of a smart water network and automation without requiring additional staff time or a significant investment in IT resources. Pinetop has also never experienced a system outage due to this system.
"Water utilities worldwide are implementing smart water networks, but Pinetop is among the first to improve operational efficiency and conservation with automation technology," said Doug McCall, director of marketing at Sensus. "Within the next decade, approximately two-thirds of the world's population, or 4.6 billion people, will experience water-stressed conditions -- meaning the time is now to implement smart water technology."
About Sensus
Sensus is a leading clean technology solutions company offering smart meters, communication systems, software and services for the electric, gas, and water industries. Sensus technology helps utilities drive operational efficiency and customer engagement with applications that include advanced meter reading, data acquisition, demand response, distribution automation, home area networking and outdoor lighting control. Customers worldwide trust the innovation, quality and reliability of Sensus solutions for the intelligent use and conservation of energy and water. For more information, visit www.sensus.com.
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