RAK to get 160,000 smart water meters

Ras Al Khaimah - A number of consumers had complained about unreasonable bills..

The Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa) has replaced 40,000 mechanical water meters with smart ones in Ras Al Khaimah. The authority is all set to instal 160,000 meters over the next four years, according to a top official.
Mohammed Saleh, Director-General of the Fewa, said: "The new smart meters will put an end to regular failures and complaints about unreasonable bills, because they take the exact reading of water consumption instantly."
The smart meters installed last year proved to be efficient in reading the exact consumption, he added. "The new meters, connected with an application specially developed for the Fewa, can be read electronically."
Recently, a number of consumers had complained about unreasonable bills and the authority modified a number of the bills after the meters proved to be out of order.
Sulaiman Qasim, an Emirati from Al Dheit area, said he was shocked to see his monthly water bill.
"I could never consume such amount of water, and hence I complained to Fewa which sent a technician, and a failure was detected in the meter."
"Smart meter is a good option that needs to be adopted everywhere to put an end to this meter-reading hassle," said Ibrahim Al Ali, a resident of Dahan area. "My water meter went 'crazy', and gave impossible readings due to erosion in internal parts. It has been stopped by a Fewa technician until I got a smart one."
Should a mechanical water meter break down or do not give the right reading, it is immediately stopped, and accordingly the monthly bill is cancelled, Saleh pointed out. "An average consumption shall then be considered."
The authority strictly keeps an eye on all water meters and sticks to an integrated system to deal complaints on meter readings, he underscored. "When we receive a complaint about overbilling, technicians examine the meters with sophisticated devices at Fewa labs, whereby the bills may be corrected if needed."
The nature and average consumption of a consumer is considered in case of water meter failure, Saleh underlined, adding that excessive water consumption, in some cases, has been attributed to unnoticed internal leaks, and has nothing to do with the meters.
Amira Al Amiri, an engineer with Fewa, said all the old meters in the emirate will be replaced with new smart ones. "It has become possible to collect the exact consumption of electricity and water instantly and accurately through a sophisticated electronic system connected with consumers' meters."
These meters will save time, effort and money for Fewa and will help providing better services to customers, she added.
"It is now possible to disconnect service in case of payment dues, and restore it with just a single click after payment of pending bills."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• Ras Al Khaimah