Avnet Renews and Expands its Agreement with Huizhong to Distribute Smart Water Meters

The agreement, first signed in 2022 for a 2-year period, renewed the appointment of Avnet as sole distributor of its smart water meters in Australia and New Zealand for a further two years. It also expanded the geographical scope of Avnet’s distribution rights to include the key market of Singapore, with a view to progressively include other markets around the world.

While smart water meters have been on the market for some time, Avnet Design Services will be collaborating with Huizhong to develop data loggers with internet connectivity for water meters with pipe sizes greater than 50mm.

Unlike analogue water meters that must be physically read by workers at regular intervals, smart water meters can be read remotely, thus reducing legwork and reducing operating costs. They are also able to report leaks and burst pipes in real time, including details of their exact cause and location. Once alerted, the utility provider can intervene and repair the problem immediately, mitigating the financial loss of wasted water, the environmental impact of leakage and seepage, and the risk of structural damage to property and associated safety hazards.

In addition to saving utility providers millions of dollars in water wastage, householders are able to access data that monitors their daily water usage in real time, via a customer app. With this knowledge, they are subsequently able to adjust their habits to conserve water and save money on their water bills. In addition, smart water meters are able to discreetly monitor the water usage patterns of elderly citizens living alone, and send alerts to next-of-kin when usage suddenly changes or abruptly discontinues. It’s a win-win-win situation – for water utility providers, users, and the environment.

“After the implementation of the smart water meters in Australia, we immediately set our sights on introducing this technology to other countries in the near future. Population growth coupled with the undeniable fact of climate change and the increasing incidence and severity of extreme weather events has exacerbated water insecurity around the world,” said Tan Aik Hoon, Regional President, South Asia, Korea and Avnet United. “The inclusion of Singapore is a milestone achievement for both Avnet and the republic’s shift towards a sustainable future.”

In 2006, the World Bank Paper No. 8 estimated that the global cost of non-revenue water amounts to US$14 billion per year. The market for smart water management is vast, and will only grow as populations increase and place rising pressure on infrastructure and resources.

Tan says that the smart water meters that Avnet has developed in collaboration with Huizhong are an ideal example of how technology can help promote sustainability and, in so doing, help societies, economies and the environment. While the partnership with Huizhong marks Avnet’s first foray into the smart water meter business, it aligns with the organization’s overarching Internet of Things (IoT) strategy, which envisions an entirely interconnected and sustainable world.

“With our ever-expanding range of innovative technology solutions, and the support of strong partners like Huizhong, we are honored to be helping society slowly but surely shift towards sustainability,” added Tan. “With relentless research and a collaborative approach to solving the problems that threaten all of humankind, there is virtually no problem that technology cannot overcome.”