Remote Meter Reading System

REMOTE METER READING SYSTEM

In 2000, Raanana was the first city in Israel to introduce advanced technology for the reading of wireless water meters – or as they are commonly referred to emote reading meters, or distance meter reading (DMR).  Today, the entire city is networked with wireless water meters, which transmit water consumption readings of the city’s residents.

In addition to the issuing of water bills through the system, the most important feature of the DMR is the immediate reporting of the water readings, which enables the detection of atypical water consumption and a suspected leak.

In principle, residents are responsible for detecting water leaks on their private property, and they should make sure to check for leaks in the house and garden and check their monthly water bills to detect atypical consumption.  The system provides another level of assistance, when the computerized system detects water consumption that is significantly atypically high over a number of days.  When such a deviation in water consumption is detected, the system issues a warning to the residents regarding the deviation detected.  From that point on, the residents can investigate whether the source of the deviation is known to them (filling the pool, extensive irrigation due to a special project, etc.) or if the source is unknown, in which case they must check for a leak.

In addition, when we detect very atypical consumption, we call residents or send them text messages (if we have their phone number) to notify them and sometimes come to their homes and leave a note if we were unable to reach them by telephone.

Residents are solely responsible for checking the source of their leak on their private property or detecting leaks independently.  The water corporation is responsible only for the city’s public infrastructure, and is not permitted to check for leaks on private property.  If a leak is detected by a resident, it must be repaired as soon as possible and receipts for the repair should be sent in to the Water and Sewage Corporation according to the instructions of the Water and Sewage Authority.  The corporation will refund the residents based on the provisions of the law.  

Note that quick detection saves residents the cost of high water bills.  We cannot stress the importance of early detection enough, particularly now after the water rates have been raised, where even the lowest rate is still twice as high as the previous rate.  Additionally, quick detection also helps to conserve Israel’s water, in a period in which such conservation is vital.

The system also acts as infrastructure for future plans to improve the smart technology system at the Mei Raanana Water Company Water Company.  The future plans include improving the system’s sending of SMS messages and emails for immediate notification regarding a leak; planning an energy conservation project for the municipal water system that uses pressure meters and water control systems, in combination with the DMR System.

The DMR System is a smart, economical and precise system whose installation will lead to additional uses in the future that will help maintain the smart water economy in Raanana.

However, please note that the remote water reading system does not always guarantee the detection of malfunctions and/or leaks on private property, and Mei Raanana Water Company Water Company explicitly and clearly rejects any commitment to detect malfunctions and/or similar cases and/or similar events and /or providing notifications within a time frame that is shorter than that set down by the law due to the existence of said system.  It should be clarified and emphasized that the exclusive responsibility for the malfunctions and/or leaks and/or event and/or similar events applies exclusively to the resident and to him alone.

If you received a letter or text message regarding a suspected leak and/or you detected a leak in a different manner, you are asked to check and repair the leak, if such is found.  This repair saves both a precious national resource and the costs of your water bills.

The law enables a reduction in payment in the case of leaks, so that the surplus water will be charged at the lower rate based on the following rules, which were set by the government water authority:

• In the event that there was actually a proven leak, which led to an an increase of more than 50% in consumption, in comparison to the same period during the previous year, a reduction of the payment will be granted based on the rules of the Water and Sewage Corporations (Calculation of the cost of water and sewage services and constructing water or sewage systems), 2009.
• The number of possible periods of time eligible for the aforesaid reduction is as follows:  only two periods (period = two months), on condition that 6 months have not yet elapsed since the last billing period during which the leak occurred.
• A receipt from a plumber for the repair of the leak must be attached, or alternately, in the event you repaired the leak on your own – a bill for the purchase of spare parts used for the repair of the leak.

All these steps are in accordance to paragraph 14 of the Rules of the Water and Sewage Corporations (Criteria and instructions regarding the level and quality of the services the company must provide its consumers), 2011.