La Compania Aquas de Sabadell SA, Sabadell, Barcelona, and Telecom Valles SA, Terassa, Barcelona, claim to have developed the first system in Europe for reading water meters over the telephone. Some $615,000 has been invested in the project, which is now in pilot with 310 homes. Pulse emitters send metered information to concentrators, which are connected to a Unix host. The host processes the readings and is responsible for the general maintainance of the system. The two companies assert that the system avoids reading errors as well as avoiding the need to have readers tramping round trying to read meters in empty houses whose occupants are all at work. It can detect sudden increases in water consumption, such as leaks. The companies plan to apply the concept to gas and electricity supplies as well as security systems.
