avk-esg-2024-25 - Flipbook - Page 24
AVK SMART WATER
PROVIDES ACCESSIBLE
AND RELIABLE DATA
The primary responsibility of water utilities is to ensure
a safe and reliable supply of drinking water for their
consumers. This requires effective operation and
maintenance of the distribution network, along with the
ability to respond quickly to any unexpected changes.
Today, many utilities have installed smart
metres that measure water consumption and
provide hourly readings to the utility company.
While this data helps to ensure accurate
billing and reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW),
there is even greater potential. By collecting,
analysing, and acting on data from the
distribution network, using sensors such as
those developed by AVK in our Smart Water
solutions, utilities can further reduce NRW,
optimise pressure, and lower maintenance
costs. By applying AVK Smart Water solutions
to key network assets such as valves, DMA
chambers, or fittings, data can be delivered
directly to a dedicated software platform where
it is transformed into valuable knowledge and
insight to react on, saving both time, water,
energy, and labour resources.
Collecting valuable data
The AVK Smart Water solution is a combination
of sensors and software. Our software allows
for easy integration with a preferred IT system
as well as visualisation in AVK Smart Water’s
own platform, VIDI Cloud.
The sensors are designed for our gate valves,
fittings, hydrants, and DMA chambers. Once
installed, they can provide data about pressure,
flow, temperature, or open/closed position
directly from applications in the distribution
network. This way of monitoring network
activities makes it possible to save resources,
minimise water loss as well as optimise
operation and maintenance activities, for
example by quickly informing about and dealing
with leaks.
24 | AVK Group Sustainability report 2024/2025
The sensors use the wireless IoT technology
NB-IoT (Narrowband Internet of Things) to
ensure good coverage and long battery life.
NB-IoT can penetrate closed structures such
as wells, chambers, and other underground
structures.
Dividing the water network into sections
Leaks in pipes and other equipment caused by,
for example, bursts or breaks are some of the
main causes of water loss. When a leak occurs,
it can take days, weeks, and even years before
it is detected, and finding the exact area in a
large, wide-reaching network is no easy task.
Therefore, dividing the supply network into
separate sections, also referred to as District
Metering Areas (DMAs), is an effective
technique that makes it possible to get an
overview of what is going on underground.
Water loss can be calculated in the sections
individually, and operators can better plan and
prioritise their efforts.
Improved NRW calculations and support
for active leakage control with VIDI
Positioner
As part of the LEAKman project, VIDI
Positioners, battery-operated devices, are
installed on valves located at the boundaries
of the DMAs. Here, they provide reliable data
on valve status and opening ratio which is vital
information for the water balance and NRW
level calculations.
