Yorkshire Water Selects Netmore to Exchange 1.3 Million Meters in Tender for One of Europe’s Largest LoRaWAN Water Metering Projects

The programme illustrates Yorkshire Water’s commitment to protecting and preserving water resources and further solidifies Netmore’s position as a leading LoRaWAN network provider and advanced metering infrastructure expert.

Netmore Group, a leading global LoRaWAN network operator, and Yorkshire Water today announced that Netmore has been selected as the lead partner to exchange 1.3 million water meters across the Yorkshire region, subject to Ofwat’s final determination, due in December 2024.

Aligned with Yorkshire Water’s strategy and as laid out in the Water Resources Management Plan 24 and the Price Review 24, this program is being implemented to exchange existing meters that are reaching the end of their operational life with an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) designed to provide service improvements, enhanced customer support, and usage efficiencies. The contract will be for an initial term of 5 years, plus data services for the meters installed up to 2045.

Under the terms of the award, Netmore will lead a group of suppliers to deliver the end-to-end service, including the delivery, installation, commissioning, and maintenance of connected smart meters. Meters will be connected to Netmore’s LoRaWAN network for the delivery of Data-as-a-Service to Yorkshire Water. Netmore will also deploy and densify network coverage in the region directly and with partners to satisfy service levels required for Yorkshire Water to achieve targeted service improvements.

This new program will run concurrently with smart meter deployments that began in 2022 when Netmore was awarded AMI frameworks by Yorkshire Water for the delivery of LoRaWAN network services and provisioning of meters for up to 360k households, including new developments and Domestic Metered Optants.

Ove Anebygd, CEO, Netmore Group, says:

“This deal is an exciting new milestone for Netmore as we continue to expand our water utility initiatives across Europe and at a time when utilities and municipalities around the world are migrating to sensor-based solutions capable of providing new and valuable datasets for measuring and conserving water for their customers and to address environmental concerns.”

“We are once again very proud that Yorkshire Water, one of UK’s leading water utilities, has trusted Netmore to lead their AMI initiatives.”

Adam Smith, Manager of Smart Networks and Metering Transformation, YWS, says:

“The initial smart metering program with Netmore launched in 2022 has helped Yorkshire Water deliver the first 500,000 litres of leakage reduction, by identifying water leakage on customers pipes. It has also helped us to better understand water demand patterns in our initial 25,000 Netmore smart meters and target water efficiency activity, all while delivering both operational value and the long-term perspective needed for the expansion of our AMI initiatives. Following a rigorous evaluation process and procurement analysis, we are confident in the choice of Netmore and its partners for our meter exchange program, as they collectively have the ability to help us deliver our ambitious goals and success criteria related to leakage, water efficiency, customer experience, and operational carbon emissions.”

Data driven insights to protect water resources and enhance customer experience

Executing against a vision and plan with equal importance on customers and the environment, Yorkshire Water’s smart metering program is targeting service improvements in the following areas:

• Water Leakage: Yorkshire Water has a goal of reducing leakage by 50%, by 2050 against a 2020 baseline. Identifying which properties have continuous flow and therefore are likely to have leakage or plumbing loss, allows for better leakage targeting and faster resolution of consumption anomalies.
• Reduction in Per Capita Consumption: By working alongside customers to better understand water use, Yorkshire Water’s smart metering program is contributing toward achieving a Per Capita Consumption (PCC) goal of 110 liters per person, per day by 2050, against a 2020 baseline.
• Customer Experience: Smart metering provides greater insight into customer water use, streamlines move-in and move-out processes, and helps ensure all customers are on the best tariff available to them, enhancing the ability to provide more regular and accurate water billing.
• Non-Household Demand Reduction: Yorkshire Water is targeting a 15% reduction of non-household water demand by 2050 against a 2020 baseline by proactively working with customers to identify opportunities to reduce water demand and water waste.

By undertaking the meter exchange program and converting to smart metering, Yorkshire Water can also ensure the security of its water supply is more robust, reduce the amount of chemicals used in water treatment, and reduce carbon emissions in both the treatment and distribution of water.

“Since the inception of Netmore’s LoRaWAN network in the UK, we have worked diligently to establish strong customer relationships that are meaningful and impactful to the local community and environment. We are honoured to have been selected by Yorkshire Water and are committed meeting the strict requirements to deliver smart metering data that will improve their operational performance, deliver better environmental outcomes, and support regulatory compliance”, says Vadim Lyu, Managing Director UK, Netmore Group

Morrison Water Services, under contract with Netmore, will plan, schedule and work with household and non-household customers to deliver the exchange of the meter and ensure the highest level of customer satisfaction is achieved. Itron and Diehl Metering have been selected as meter providers for this programme. The meter exchange program is subject to the Ofwat final determination for AMP8. More details will be released after final determination; however, the program is expected to begin in South Yorkshire in 2025.

Netmore is a global company with a focus on providing local delivery and support. The organization’s growing presence across Europe, the United States, and the Asia Pacific Region includes dedicated regional resources with a deep understanding of local markets, regulations, and customer requirements in support of one of the largest global installed bases of water utility AMI networks and contracted smart meters.