How to detect water leaks in a Multifamily high-rise building?

Start with metering via monitoring and reporting water consumption data usage from toilets, showers, sinks, etc., throughout a multifamily building. Wireless IOT systems connected to the main building water meter are available that can monitor use for an entire apartment building. See example case study link https://www.sensorsuite.com/case-studies-water-monitoring

Toilets account for 40% of use, but more than 70% of leaks. To prevent water wastage, it is important for property managers, superintendents and tenants to identify and control leaks, mainly from toilets and, secondarily, from showers and faucets.

Wireless networks are used to communicate with water meters and monitor data and transmit the information for billing and leak detection reporting. Two-way wireless facilitates easier and lower-cost installation. An IOT Platform electrically wired in your building will integrate with the water meter, report periodically throughout the day, without any need to run hardwiring in the plumbing system.

The water consumption data throughout the building is collected to a gateway, then transmitted over the Internet to a cloud-based server for report generation. All of the wireless infrastructure and web-based reporting can be fully automated and programmed into a dashboard for the property manager/ building owner to provide reports.

In addition to recording total water consumption, these systems can record the number and duration of water-use ‘events.’ Unusually long-duration events typically result from a leaking faucet or stuck toilet flapper valve. By flagging these, the system can generate a daily leakage report, providing a list of items requiring repair to the building manager.

The building case study confirmed that proactive repairs of water-wasting conditions which included broken toilet flapper valves, stuck chains or cracked fill valves and leaky faucets saved thousands of dollars. This monitoring solution is saving this facility $121,618 per year with a Return on Investment (ROI) of 1.2 months.

Mario P Iusi

EVP at SensorSuite Inc.

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