We develop and implement a comprehensive system that modernizes, simplifies, and reduces the cost of the way water companies obtain data on water consumption.
The core of this system is the SMG Server and its user counterpart, the SMG Client. Together, they form a solution that can be run both in the cloud and on-premise, providing a central point of management for all remote and walk-in reading technologies in a water utility.
The most modern way of obtaining water readings that water utilities currently use is remote IoT readings. To obtain data in this way, it is not necessary to use the services of a reader, who, in the standard, personal reading method, must contact the customer and physically read the water meter. Instead, the water utility installs smart IoT reading heads at the required consumption points, which regularly (up to 20 times a day) read the water meter for 6 years and automatically send it to the SMG Server. This saves the water utility the work of readers and always receives up-to-date, accurate data on the state of water consumption, and is also informed in real time about any alarm conditions (for example, freezing or flooding of the water meter).
IoT.water reading heads can communicate using several different IoT networks: NB-IoT, Sigfox and LoRaWAN. Their built-in battery life is set to 6 years depending on the data transmission configuration. The reading head is configured after physical installation on the water meter using a user-friendly mobile application. Immediately after installation and configuration, the reading head starts reading the water meter status and sending this data to the SMG Server, where the data can be viewed.
If the water company already has an existing installation of remote reading devices from other manufacturers, the SMG Server is ready to receive and process data from third-party reading heads or external systems.
Currently, SMG Server supports full integration (i.e., deployment, operation, and diagnostics of reading devices are fully managed by SMG Server) of the following types of reading devices:
Furthermore, SMG Server is ready for integration with the following external reading systems:
Data from these external systems is obtained using existing REST API interfaces or other standard methods of transferring structured data.
SMG Server is therefore a central collection point for remote readings of the water utility. It receives data both directly from reading devices and from several different external reading systems. It processes them into a standard, unified form and SMG Client presents them to the user in a clear tabular and graphical form. It allows the water utility to effectively manage the installations of reading devices and diagnose data transmission.
Thanks to the use of native installation applications, the position of the installed reading head is recorded during installation and, together with the installation attributes, is saved to the SMG Server. It is also possible to work with the map display in the SMG Client and visualize the currently installed reading heads on a clear map.
The ZIS system is-USYS®.net is a customer system widely used by water utilities for (among other things) collecting reading data and subsequent billing. The SMG Server is fully integrated with this system and, thanks to the so-called Smartmetering algorithm, is able to transfer received reading data and alarm events from any data source directly to the ZIS system in real time. The ZIS system therefore creates correct records of all installed reading devices and the water utility is able to generate all necessary invoices with a reading accuracy of several hours without the need for physical readings.
For points of consumption that are equipped with water meters that allow walk-by readings using radio, or are not equipped with any type of remote reading, SMG Server offers a solution in the form of the Reading Routes module. In combination with the SMG Mobile mobile application and the ZIS system, it is able to process reading batches created in the ZIS system.
The reader, equipped with a mobile phone with the SMG Mobile application, receives reading batches that have been prepared and assigned to him on his mobile device. In the field, he is able to read Sensus, Itron and Kamstrup water meters using radio transmission. In addition to remote radio transmission, the installer also has the option of reading physically by reading the status from the water meter dial and entering it into the mobile application or using OCR to automatically fill in the status. In addition to working with readings as such, the installer is able to record various types of events in the field, such as a change of contact at the collection point or the inability to read due to the absence of the contact person on site. As part of obtaining statuses, the installer has the option of taking photo documentation.
While the readers are working in the field, the reading master can monitor the progress of reading the created batches using the Reading Routes module in the SMG Client web client. Here, it is possible to clearly view all the obtained data, photo documentation and the status of data synchronization with the ZIS system.
Dear,
We would like to inform you about the merger project by merging IoT.water a.s., Company ID: 055 89 916, with its registered office at Radlická 364/152, Radlice, 158 00 Prague 5, registered in the Commercial Register kept by the Municipal Court in Prague, file number B 25457 ("The Dissolved Company"), with Popron Systems a.s., Company ID: 618 55 162, with its registered office at Radlická 364/152, Radlice, 158 00 Prague 5, registered in the Commercial Register kept by the Municipal Court in Prague, file number B 28240 (“Successor Company”).
The decisive date of the merger was set at 1 January 2025, with the planned entry of the conversion into the Commercial Register taking place on 31 May 2025.
Ing. Jan Jílek – Executive Director of Popron Systems a.s.