Manufacturing companies consume high amount of water and many don't even notice it. Water Meters are usually installed at the service entrance with the intent of measuring and billing water consumption, and the process is usually left to the accounting team. Sub-metering water helps to manage and monitor in detail water consumption. There are many types of water meters -- single-jet, multi-jet, Woltman, disc water meters, Ultrasonic water meters with remote controlled valve, and the typical ultrasonic water meters.
Each has a function and an application; Their primary function is to inform the user when and how the water is consumed allowing the owner, occupant or property manager to find ways to save water and money at the same time. How? By monitoring and recording the details of the water consumption.
Relying on the monthly water bill is not informative. True while comparisons can be made between previous periods, whether monthly or yearly, it would be impossible to know whether the consumption took place in the daytime or at night, or whether the consumption takes place when nobody is in the premises ( a leak).
In addition to thinking about the addition of submeters, the way meters are read is also an important consideration. Manual reading of water meters are subject to errors, and often, unrealistic estimations of water consumption are made to temporarily resolve the problems. When company expenses are only based on estimations, control over expenses is lost and if the practice is frequent, losses are carried into the future.
Automated and interval meter reading has become more economical and convenient once the appropriate sub-metering system is installed and the water meters reads become available remotely. They can be enabled through a software platform and accessed through the cloud, a phone, or a computer. Remotely read water meters provide many benefits and eliminate many safety risks like those that appear when checking meter readings in hard to reach places in buildings and manufacturing facilities.
With the right software platform, alerts can be sent through email or text messages, base on previously set thresholds, if there are leaks, where they are located, and the extent of the water loss. These are important in immediately detecting problems before the damages become too big.
Knowing the details and the correct water consumption helps to control utility expenses, benchmarking comparisons, by periods, or by surface, by square foot, by process or by number of employees is easily achievable with the right software tools. A clearer understanding of what and how much they have consumed enables managers to correct, to plan and to budget with accuracy for future projects, salary increases, and even a new site.
Keeping records is another way of staying in control over expenses. Expense records allow the company to better understand the costs in all aspects of the business. Overhead costs such as expenditures, and utility expenses including water consumption allow companies to monitor usage.
A record of the water consumption shared with employees and stakeholders can lower the overhead company costs by having employees participate in conserving water or looking at more cost-efficient, energy-saving irrigation, cooling systems and equipment such as toilets, faucets, and water dispensers.
Recording and Monitoring the details of water consumption in an industrial or manufacturing facility, allows for better resources management, it saves money that can be usefully applied for further research, growth, and development, and also saves the environment as it raises the awareness on ways to conserve water.