It brought together 90 participants from water management utilities in 9 countries and 4 continents to share innovative perspectives on sustainability, digital transformation and future challenges. The event was promoted by JANZ, a leader in the water measurement solutions sector.
The exclusive event “Every Drop Count. Every Decision Matters.” took place at the Lisbon Oceanarium, where participants were able to observe and learn about SmartIO in this immersive environment. To mark this launch, on April 1st and 2nd, Lisbon became the epicenter of innovation in water supply services, welcoming more than 90 participants from water management entities in 9 countries and 4 continents. SmartIO is JANZ’s new smart ultrasonic water meter that promises to transform the management and monitoring of water consumption. This innovation will transform the way utilities manage water use, offering a series of technological and sustainable advantages.
The event was opened by the CEO and Chairman of the SIT Group (to which JANZ belongs), Mr. Federico de Stefani. He highlighted the decisive role of smart meters for a more sustainable and conscious management of water resources. These devices allow real-time monitoring of consumption, providing accurate data to both users and water system managers.
The event presentation was led by Ricardo Cordeiro, Sales and Marketing Director at JANZ. Some of the highlights were the data on the significant increase in the number of smart meters in Europe and North America, which shows that this is not a trend, but a reality. It is estimated that by 2028, Europe will have installed more than 105 million smart meters, representing a growth of more than 60% compared to the current reality, which will correspond to 72% of the installed park. America has historically installed more smart meters than any other region in the world, allowing it to currently have only 15% of unbilled water, while Europe has double that, 30%. An analysis of the evolution of the industry shows that in the past, operators had a reactive stance, where they detected leaks after they started, but they are currently adopting an efficiency control, monitoring the data obtained. However, the future requires evolution towards predicting and preventing events before they happen, highlighting the importance of utilities making their networks resilient, as well as efficient, to be successful in the future.
The energy in the room intensified during the experts panel, which featured Eng. Pedro Perdigão CEO of INDAQUA, Dr. Francisco Arregui Full Professor at the Universitat Politécnica de Valencia in Spain, Eng. Márcia Fonseca Director of the Department of Environmental and Urban Sustainability at Lagos City Council, Natasa Neokleous Director of Operations at the Limassol Managing Entity in Cyprus and Talis Tal-Or, Manager of Netmore in Portugal and Spain. There was room to share innovative perspectives on sustainability, digital transformation and future challenges. The exchange of ideas was nothing short of inspiring!
Um dos pontos altos do dia foi apresentação do SmartIO, o novo contador de água ultrassónico inteligente da JANZ que proporciona uma Experiência Melhorada ao Cliente com um Design Sem Partes Móveis ou Cavidades, mantém um desempenho duradouro ao ser imune a sólidos e partículas em suspensão. Permite reduzir o consumo energético do bombeamento da água na rede e aumentar da vida útil da mesma ao exercer menor desgaste graças à mais baixa perda de pressão do mercado. O novo contador leva à Maximização da Receita devido à sua Metrologia de Excelência, com uma precisão de R1000, que supera a da concorrência, garantindo leituras consistentes e confiáveis em todas as condições. O SmartIO regista volumes acima de Q4, logo não para de contar quando excede o caudal máximo, como acontece a outros produtos no mercado. Apresenta também um caudal de arranque de 1L/h, permitindo que sejam lidos consumos mínimos que, de outra forma, passariam despercebidos. É Verdadeiramente Inteligente e preparado para o Futuro. O SmartIO disponibiliza a capacidade de envio de alarmes On Demand às entidades gestoras reportando em tempo real diversos tipos de anomalias (fuga, rebentamento, contador parado, entre outras). É compatível com as redes wM-bus, LoRaWAN e NB-IoT, sem necessidade de intervenção no terreno devido à sua função FOTA (firmware update over the air). Bulit to Last, querendo isto dizer que foi construído para resistir às condições mais adversas.
One of the highlights of the day was the presentation of SmartIO, JANZ’s new intelligent ultrasonic water meter that provides an Enhanced Customer Experience with a Free Pipe Design with No Moving Parts or Cavities, and maintains long-lasting performance by being immune to solids and suspended particles. It allows for reduced energy consumption for pumping water into the network and increases its useful life by exerting less wear and tear thanks to the lowest pressure loss on the market. The new meter leads to Maximized Revenue due to its Metrology Excellence, with accuracy of R1000, which surpasses that of the competition, ensuring consistent and reliable readings in all conditions. SmartIO records volumes above Q4, so it does not stop counting when it exceeds the maximum flow rate, as is the case with other products on the market. It also has a starting flow of 1L/h, allowing minimum consumption levels to be read that would otherwise go unnoticed. It is Truly Smart and Future-Ready. SmartIO provides the ability to send On Demand alarms to administrators, reporting various types of anomalies in real time (leaks, bursts, stopped counters, among others). It is compatible with wM-bus, LoRaWAN and NB-IoT networks, without the need for field intervention due to its FOTA (firmware update over the air) function. Built to Last, it is built to withstand the most adverse conditions.
On the second day, attendees were able to experience first-hand how JANZ water meters are produced, with cutting-edge technology and the highest quality control standards ensuring reliability and performance, with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the state-of-the-art production facilities. The event was packed with insights into the role of water in our world, water management in a data-driven world and exchange of ideas on best practices across regions.
Janz has always focused on developing innovative solutions tailored to its customers, focusing on the quality and longevity of its products. The industry is currently undergoing a digital transition that may involve purchasing smart meters or upgrading traditional meters with a communication module. This transition requires “highly sophisticated” skills, so the company is focused on continuing to develop these skills to help its customers.
