New York Utility Takes On Massive Leak with Smart Water Technology

It took only a few days for Bolton Point Water System in Ithaca, N.Y., to see the results of its new Sensus smart water technology. As data started flooding in, the utility noticed that one home went from using no water to running 100 gallons per hour over the course of three days. That’s 7,400 gallons of lost water — which is enough to fill an average-sized pool. Problem is, the property doesn’t have a pool and the homeowner was out of town.

“When we couldn’t reach the customer by phone we sent an operator to check on things,” said Steve Riddle, distribution manager for Bolton Point Water System. “Turns out, while the owners were away, a hose was turned on and left running in the yard. Without the new technology to alert us, who knows how much more water would have been wasted or how high their bill would have gone?”