Contracts awarded for advanced metering framework

Yorkshire Water has selected Netmore and Connexin to deliver an advanced metering framework to assist with meeting leakage and per capita consumption (PCC) reduction targets.

The water company has targets to reduce leakage by 50% by 2050 and improve customers’ water efficiency by reducing PCC by 9% by 2025. The advanced metering framework will enable Yorkshire Water to meet those targets by installing smart meters to provide near real-time insights into leaks and customer usage.

Almost a third of leaks are found on the pipe leading up to the customer boundary. Advanced metering will allow the water company to identify pipes that have continuous flow and may have a leak, so that it can be targeted with leakage activity and fix issues quicker. Yorkshire Water is also working on a solution that will give customers access to an insights platform that will tell them about their usage, enabling them to make more informed decisions on how they use water.

Yorkshire Water has contracted Netmore to install smart meters on all new housing developments, and both Netmore and Connexin for wider meter exchange and install programmes.

Both suppliers will be levering LoRaWAN networks to provide reliable data provision at an efficient cost whilst still attaining long battery lives. The framework will cover the provision of Itron meters and Cyble 5 devices to send regular flow data to Yorkshire Water, removing the need to physically visit the meter and reducing the carbon footprint of its metering operations.

Adam Smith, manager of smart networks and metering transformation at Yorkshire Water, said: “We are thrilled to start the journey of Advanced Customer metering – a really strategic way to reduce leakage, improve our services, and help customers save money on their bills”

Dan Preece, Vice President of IoT at Connexin comments: "I am thrilled that Yorkshire Water has selected Connexin for the framework supplying the AMI water meter roll-out programme in the Yorkshire region, building on our existing successful relationship and working with us on our doorstep.

“Combined with the first large-scale IoT smart water roll-out that we are currently delivering for Severn Trent Water in the UK, this strengthens Connexin’s place as the UK’s leading LoRaWAN® network provider and water meter connectivity expert.”

Ove Anebygd, CEO, Netmore Group, said: "We are very proud that Yorkshire Water has chosen Netmore for supplying smart meters on all new housing developments as well as for wider meter exchange and install programmes. The joint expertise of Yorkshire Water and other leading European water utility companies connected to Netmore LoRaWAN network creates a unique platform for addressing water leakage and customer’s water efficiency”.

The partnership will last for up to 20 years, with up to five years for the provision of meters and 15 years for the provision of data collection by the meters, in line with the assets expected lifetime.