ABB takes lead role in helping to address global water wastage

Since its inception, the Global Water Leakage Summit has grown to become a leading event on the international water calendar and a great place to discuss and exchange the latest thinking on leakage and water management technologies and techniques. And with our extensive background in water applications, we are proud to have taken the lead role at last month’s Global Water Leakage Summit, which was held in London (17th and 18th March).

Attended by key influencers and decision – makers in water from around the world, this year’s event included a key focus on the role of smart technology in achieving zero leakage which is now being seen as an increasingly realistic prospect, as advances in technology offer new possibilities for measuring, controlling and conveying water.

The two-day event covered a broad range of topics, with speakers representing a broad spectrum of interests, including the UK All-Parliamentary Water Group, UK, Irish and international water utilities, plus manufacturers and industry bodies such as Ofwat and the Water Industry Commission for Scotland.

Our own Tim Door, UK and Ireland General Manager, chaired the sessions on the second day of the event. Presentations were given by speakers from countries including the UK, Spain, Israel, Portugal and India on the innovative approaches and technologies being applied to tackle leakage and encourage responsible water management.

Amongst the presenters was ABB’s Dr Ray Keech, who discussed the AquaMaster 3 electromagnetic flowmeter with WITS (Water Industry Telemetry Standard) technology. The device combines the benefits of a high accuracy integrated flow and pressure metering solution with high speed data communications, giving users access to near real time data on pipeline conditions. With extensive self-diagnostic capabilities, the AquaMaster 3 with WITS also provides operators with improved information on meter performance, enabling them to reduce maintenance to an on demand basis.

We also led the Gala Dinner at the end of the first day of the event, which has become an established tradition and a great opportunity for networking. As always, the dinner included a charity auction on behalf of WaterAid. Led by Tim Door and Jeremy Heath of Sutton and East Surrey Water, the auction surpassed the previous event’s record, raising a remarkable £2,430, with prizes auctioned off including a Golf Day experience with a Pro AM, an Iphone 6 and £250 red letter day.

Tags: ABB, instrumentation, Water, Water Industry, water utilities