CWASA to install 3000 smart meters in 1st phase to reduce system loss

Chattogram WASA is going to start the
installation of 3,000 smart meters in the first phase under the pilot project
to solve the long-standing water wastage problem known as system loss or non-
revenue sector.

The concerned project director said that a positive report was received from
BUET after sending the meters to BUET for testing before installation.

In the first phase, CWASA is working on a plan to install smart meters at
city’s Chandgaon and its surrounding areas at a cost of Taka 5.8 crore.

The local agent Padma Smart Technology meters of the American company will do
the installation works within the next two months.

The bills of residential and commercial customers of the area will be
calculated with these digital meters. WASA has taken the initiative of
digitizing the meter system to reduce the suffering of customers due to meter
readers, the sources added.

“These meters do not require any reader. Without human touch, the meter
reading will be auto transferred to the central server. If it is turned on,
water theft will stop. Water wastage will also be reduced,” the source added.

CWASA Chief Engineer Maksud Alam told BSS that the installation works of
smart meters will start within the next two months. A positive report was
received from BUET after sending the meters to BUET for testing before
installation, he added.

If the pilot project is successfully implemented, we will gradually bring all
the customers under the smart meter in the entire city, he said.

CWASA Smart Meter Installation Project Director and CWASA ICT Circle System
Analyst Engineer Shafiqul Basar told BSS that 3,000 meters will be installed
under the pilot project.

The tender was called on January 11, 2022.

In early 2020, 5 Smart Meters based on LORA Gateway were installed on a trial
basis. These experimental meters were installed at High Level Road and
Bagghona in Lalkhanbazar area of the city.

Five Smart Meters were installed at High Level Road and Bagghona in
Lalkhanbazar area of the city in early 2020.

CWASA took up this pilot project after finding success in the meter’s
performance after one year of use.

As such, the daily non-revenue amount of water is about 12 crore litres and
Chattogram Wasa is losing more than Taka 45 crore in revenue every year.

WASA officials hoped that water wastage and illegal sale can be prevented if
bills are calculated through digital meters. (BSS)