KP plans to install 1,000 smart meters to reduce water losses

ISLAMABAD, Nov 04 (APP): The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has proposed installing up to 1,000 smart water meters under a £150,000 GeoSmart Water initiative aimed at reducing water losses, improving revenue collection and strengthening digital management of water utilities.
According to an official document available with Wealth Pakistan, the project, titled “GeoSmart Water – Integrated GIS and Smart Metering System for Efficient Water Resource Management,” is included in Pakistan’s Climate Prosperity Plan.
The proposed initiative envisages a 12-month pilot involving the installation of 500 to 1,000 Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled smart water meters, along with geographic information system (GIS) mapping, digital billing and technology-based leak detection.
The project aims to improve water resource management by reducing non-revenue water, enabling transparent billing and providing data dashboards for utility management.
Under the proposed framework, GIS-based maps would be developed for water infrastructure, including mains, valves, tanks and connections.
A cloud-based dashboard would also be introduced to monitor water pressure and flow, analyse consumption patterns and detect potential leakages.
The system would support usage-based mobile billing and improve consumer access to billing information.
The document outlines a phased implementation schedule, beginning with baseline assessments, GIS mapping and procurement during the early stage of the pilot.
The middle phase would involve meter installation, dashboard commissioning and staff training.
Operational monitoring, including leak detection, billing analysis and economic validation, is envisaged during months six to twelve.
The project also includes staff training, preparation of a replication and scale-up guide, and arrangements for maintenance and technical support.
According to the document, the KP Climate Change Technical Working Group would serve as the lead coordinating body.
The Centre for Revenue Growth and Reforms at IMSciences would provide technical support and assist with project implementation, while local utilities would be responsible for meter operations and service delivery.
Technology providers would support IoT connectivity and equipment, while trained utility staff would undertake ongoing maintenance.
The project also envisages economic validation and the development of a replication and scale-up guide to assess its potential expansion beyond the initial pilot.