“Flow tells us how much water is moving. Pressure tells us how healthy the system is. Measure both, and the distribution network begins to speak.” – MJ Martin
Flow Tells Us How Much. Pressure Tells Us How Well.
Modern water meters have evolved far beyond simple billing instruments. Badger Meter E-Series G2 ultrasonic meters can precisely measure consumption, identify unusually low or continuous flows, detect reverse flow, and generate operational alarms. What is less widely appreciated is that selected E-Series G2 meters can also incorporate an optional integrated pressure sensor.
That seemingly small addition transforms a meter into something much more powerful. It becomes a monitoring station located at the very edge of the distribution system, where the utility actually delivers water to its customer.
Think of flow as measuring how much blood is moving through an artery. Pressure is the blood pressure reading. Both measurements matter, but together they provide a much clearer picture of system health.
Pressure Is Fundamental to a Canadian Water System
Water pressure is not simply about whether a customer enjoys a strong shower. It is fundamental to distribution-system performance and drinking-water protection.
Health Canada identifies adequate pressure as an important barrier against contamination entering a drinking-water distribution system. Pressure changes can result from pump starts and stops, valve operations, hydrant use, power interruptions and watermain breaks. Health Canada also cites AWWA guidance recommending continuous pressure monitoring throughout distribution systems. (Canada)
Ontario’s Design Guidelines for Drinking-Water Systems provide useful Canadian benchmarks. Normal distribution pressure should generally be approximately 350 to 480 kPa, or 50 to 70 psi, and normally should not fall below 275 kPa, or 40 psi. Under maximum-day demand combined with fire-flow conditions, the system should maintain at least 140 kPa, or 20 psi. Excessive pressures above approximately 700 kPa, or 100 psi, should also be controlled. (Ontario)
Pressure, therefore, has an operating envelope much like the temperature gauge in an automobile. Too low is dangerous. Too high can also cause damage.
Turning the Meter into a Network Sensor
Badger Meter’s E-Series G2 residential ultrasonic meters can be supplied with an optional integrated pressure sensor. Pressure, temperature, consumption, flow rate and alarms can then be observed at the meter. Pressure and temperature information can also be communicated through ORION Cellular endpoints into the BEACON SaaS platform. Badger specifies a meter pressure rating of up to 12 bar, or 175 psi. (Badger Meter)
Commercial E-Series G2 meters similarly provide pressure and temperature information and alarms through ORION Cellular and BEACON. (Badger Meter)
The strategic significance is substantial. Instead of relying exclusively upon a limited number of pressure sensors installed at pumping stations, reservoirs or hydrants, a utility can begin collecting pressure information much closer to its customers.
Finding Problems Before Customers Call
Imagine a municipality where a neighbourhood normally operates at 420 kPa. Pressure gradually begins falling to 350, then 310, then 280 kPa during peak periods. Consumption data alone might reveal nothing unusual. Pressure data tells another story.
Perhaps a valve is partially closed. Perhaps a pressure-reducing valve is malfunctioning. Perhaps system demand has changed. Perhaps the hydraulic model needs recalibration. Perhaps a watermain leak is consuming capacity before the water ever reaches the customer.
Conversely, sustained excessive pressure can increase leakage, place unnecessary stress on mains, services and household plumbing, and increase pumping energy requirements.
Pressure monitoring therefore changes utility management from reactive investigation to continuous situational awareness.
From Smart Metering to Smart Water
The important question for Canadian municipalities is no longer simply, “How accurately are we measuring water consumption?”
We should also ask: Where are our lowest pressures? What happens during morning demand peaks? Can we identify pressure abnormalities before customers telephone us? Are our pressure zones operating as designed? Could pressure and flow data together help identify non-revenue water? And could thousands of customer meters ultimately become distributed sensors for validating our hydraulic model?
That is the larger opportunity.
A smart water meter measures water. A truly smart water network measures the condition of the system delivering it.
About the Author:
Michael Martin is the Vice President of Technology with Metercor Inc., a Smart Meter, IoT, and Smart City systems integrator based in Canada. He has more than 40 years of experience in systems design for applications that use broadband networks, optical fibre, wireless, and digital communications technologies. He is a business and technology consultant. He was a senior executive consultant for 15 years with IBM, where he worked in the GBS Global Center of Competency for Energy and Utilities and the GTS Global Center of Excellence for Energy and Utilities. He is a founding partner and President of MICAN Communications and before that was President of Comlink Systems Limited and Ensat Broadcast Services, Inc., both divisions of Cygnal Technologies Corporation (CYN: TSX).
Martin served on the Board of Directors for TeraGo Inc (TGO: TSX) and on the Board of Directors for Avante Logixx Inc. (XX: TSX.V). He has served as a Member, SCC ISO-IEC JTC 1/SC-41 – Internet of Things and related technologies, ISO – International Organization for Standardization, and as a member of the NIST SP 500-325 Fog Computing Conceptual Model, National Institute of Standards and Technology. He served on the Board of Governors of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) [now Ontario Tech University] and on the Board of Advisers of five different Colleges in Ontario – Centennial College, Humber College, George Brown College, Durham College, Ryerson Polytechnic University [now Toronto Metropolitan University]. For 16 years he served on the Board of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), Toronto Section.
He holds three master’s degrees – in business (MBA), communication (MA), and education (MEd). As well, he has three undergraduate diplomas and seven major certifications in business, computer programming, internetworking, project management, media, photography, and communication technology. He has completed over 80 next generation MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) [aka Micro Learning] continuous education programs in a wide variety of topics, including: Economics, Python Programming, Internet of Things, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive systems, Blockchain, Agile, Power BI, Big Data, Design Thinking, Security, Indigenous Canada awareness, and more.
Martin is a volunteer, a photographer, a learner, a technologist, a philosophizer, and a romantic optimist.