SUMS Group has developed a unique intelligent standpipe to accurately monitor water usage from hydrants. Launched in partnership with Spotless, the portable Skilltech SmartPipe™ transforms standpipe management.
Traditionally, water extracted from hydrants using a standpipe has been manually recorded by the user and reported via phone or email to the water utility. This approach is labour intensive and prone to errors. The Skilltech SmartPipe™ simplifies the process, remotely capturing the exact volume, location and time water is extracted from a hydrant in near real time.
An intuitive web portal – with a comprehensive list of configurable reports and system alerts – provides clients access to historical water use data and GPS location of hydrants. Using a simple interface, the portal allows end-users and retailers to track water usage and significantly improve the accuracy of billing, verification and compliance.
Each time the Skilltech SmartPipe™ is used, Geofence mapped boundaries determine whether the usage is within the licensed permit area and, if breached, automatic alarms are dispatched via SMS and email to advise all parties of a potential issue. No-Go Geofence areas also allows retailers to restrict hydrant access for specific reasons, such as low water pressure zones.
SUMS says: ‘We engage with water retailers and their customers to create responsive and intuitive ways to understand complex utilities information. The aim is to turn water usage data into real business benefits for both water carters and retailers. The Skilltech SmartPipe™ delivers transparency for improved water management, business efficiencies and customer engagement.”
The relationship between SUMS Group and Spotless is a significant milestone for both companies, sharing similar goals to provide customers with effective water management solutions.
Margrethe Ingemann