Water is one of the most expensive and vulnerable utilities in the built environment, yet it often receives little oversight. Many organizations still rely on quarterly water bills or manual meter readings, meaning leaks, among other issues, can remain hidden for long periods of time. This lack of real-time visibility is quite financially and operationally costly.
Even small leaks can waste surprisingly large amounts of water before they are noticed; a single dripping tap can waste up to 20,000 litres annually, while larger pipe leaks can result in losses worth tens of thousands of dollars. Furthermore, because many leaks occur behind walls, underground, or in plant rooms, they often go unnoticed until a bill spikes or physical damage becomes obvious. Water bills themselves only provide broad summaries rather than specific insights. They do not indicate when anomalies occurred, where they originated, or which systems were responsible. By the time a spike appears on a statement, which often comes quarterly, a leak may have been ongoing for months.
Untracked leaks not only lead to substantial water waste but can also lead to structural damage, mould growth, equipment failure, and sometimes flooding. These issues can compromise electrical systems, damage flooring and walls, and create serious health hazards for occupants. The long-term costs of these consequences often far exceed the cost of just the wasted water.
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Blue IoT’s water services are designed to eliminate these blind spots. We begin with pulse water meter monitoring, capturing real-time data from existing meters to reveal consumption patterns. For larger pipe infrastructure, we add ultrasonic water metering, using non-invasive, sound-wave-based devices to measure flow accurately across high-volume supply lines where traditional meters are impractical. These systems are strengthened by intelligent leak detection, capable of identifying microleaks, pipe bursts, and abnormal flow conditions both indoors and outdoors. To protect more critical areas, we also deploy flood detection sensors that send immediate alerts before significant damage can occur. For projects requiring deeper granularity, virtual water metering enables software-defined submetering at the fixture, tenant, or floor level without invasive installations. All water-related data streams to Encompass Blue, where machine learning, alert logic, and real-time analytics help prevent water-related issues before they develop.
By implementing continuous monitoring across key systems, organizations gain full visibility into how their water is truly being used and wasted. Early leak detection prevents significant losses, protects assets from deterioration, and avoids costly repairs. Flood detection minimises operational disruption by alerting teams before serious damage can occur. Virtual submetering provides precise, location-specific insights that help users understand their consumption, identify problematic assets, and make sense of their billing. With all insights consolidated within Encompass Blue, users can analyse trends, benchmark performance, and make informed decisions that reduce costs, improve operational resilience, and eliminate unnecessary water waste.
