Water utilities across the globe are in various stages of implementing polices and regulations that will enable water conservation and reduce non-revenue water (NRW), with advanced smart water meters being the focal point of investment. For over a decade automated-meter-reading-based (AMR based) smart water meters were the most adopted. However, the advancement in communication technology and the evolution of water meters—from just a measuring device to an outcome-driven solution that detect, control, manage, and tangibly reduce leaks and NRW—are driving the transition from AMR to Automated-metering-infrastructure-based (AMI-based) smart water meters.
Low-power-wide-area-network-based (LPWAN-based) communication technology used for AMI smart water meters offer better coverage, improved data transfer, and enable seamless two-way communication. Advanced LPWAN solutions, such as LoRa, narrow band-IoT (NB-IoT), and LTE CAT M are gaining significant market share due to improved data transfer capabilities that enable near-real-time visibility of water consumption and leak detection. North America and Europe are the leading hotspots for smart water meter market, while China is the single largest contributor to the APAC and global smart water meter markets. Water stress and net zero goals will continually drive growth and adoption of AMI-based smart water meters. Sales of AMR-based smart water meters are set to decline over the forecast period, with AMI-based smart water meters gaining significant market share. The global unit shipment of smart water meters is set to grow from 33.2 million in 2021 to 58.1 million in 2026.
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