The client owning a network of truck wash service centers decided to invest in a smart metering pilot project due to high energy bills. Our task was to detect wastage and reduce the cost of operating the client.
After the systems were implemented on the main electricity, water and gas meters, as well as the sub-water meter and truck wash calorimeter, an abnormal condition was detected almost immediately. Progress data from the water meter for the dishwasher showed a constant leak rate of 1.4 m3 / h, a value comparable to a fully open water tap. After a few days, repairs were made and consumption was drastically reduced.
Thanks to sophisticated water recycling systems, modern car washes are able to reduce water consumption to a minimum. However, in the case of failures that are not immediately apparent, the losses are enormous.
The following graph compares consumption patterns in the first two weeks of measurement. In the first three days, there is a constant increase in consumption, in the next four days consumption is similar.
After deduction of the mentioned leak for the whole weekend (69 hours in total, which corresponds to 97 m3), the courses are very similar, ie weekly consumption of 40 m3 in total.
At the average price of water and sewage collection (according to the CZSO data from 2016 approximately 3 EUR / m3) this weekend leak was 291 EUR.
If the failure was discovered only thanks to a monthly deduction, the total loss would be more than 1000 m3 of water, ie over EUR 3,000. For some companies where monthly readings are not analyzed and excessive consumption would only be revealed by the adoption of the annual water invoice, the total water leak would mean an unnecessary loss of almost a million crowns.
In this case, the investment in automatic readings was returned to the Client within one month.