By Justin Schmid
Water submetering for manufactured housing communities is increasingly important for fair cost recovery, leak detection, and conservation. A relative newcomer to the space is working on ways with innovative technology to transform the water submetering market.
Innovative Solutions for an Age-Old Challenge
Led by a seasoned team from the IoT (Internet of Things) space, Dune is solving traditional water submetering challenges with a new, disruptive approach. Patented technology accurately measures flow without any direct contact with water, eliminating the need for pipe-cutting or even shutting off the water supply in most cases. The non-intrusive approach eliminates the need for plumbers or highly-skilled labor, lowering property owner risk and reducing installation cost and tenant disruption.
Where traditional inline submeters have mechanical components that water flows through, the Dune solution is completely solid-state with no moving parts to wear out, making them immune to extreme weather damage.
Connected IoT Solution
From inception five years ago, Dune created an IoT-based solution where each meter connects directly to its cloud-based platform via cellular networks. Meters are read remotely and usage data can be integrated with a third-party platform to further simplify monthly billing for tenants.
“Property owners and managers can monitor water usage data from anywhere,” said Dune founder and CEO Garo Sarkissian said. “This level of monitoring and control represents a significant advancement over traditional water submetering methods, which often rely on manual readings and can be prone to delays and inaccuracies.”
Leveraging machine learning to analyze usage patterns, the solution has advanced leak detection capabilities that can quickly identify problems, isolate the issue, and alert the property owner, manager, or any designated person when water-use anomalies appear.
The real-time detection picks up subtle use-cases in water patterns much in the same way a human ear can tell the difference between kitchen appliances and potential water problems.
“With advanced analytics, we are often able to isolate and identify the source of a leak,” Bruce Buchan, Dune’s co-founder and head of product and engineering, said. “For example, a leaking toilet has a distinctive data signature that differs from a ruptured pipe or other water-using appliance anomalies.”
This real-time data also provides a way to proactively maintain a community. Property managers can address potential issues before they escalate, reducing the likelihood of significant water damage and the associated costs, which may even be leveraged to lower insurance premiums.
Continuous Innovation
Dune recently improved its submeter design, further simplifying installation, expanding compatibility, and enhancing durability. Additionally, with more processing power and integrated sensors, the solution offers new features and capabilities sought by the market.
The new streamlined enclosure includes an integrated clamp with an additional tamper-proof mechanism that enhances security.
“The new integrated clamping mechanism is ground-breaking,” Buchan said. “It literally makes installation a snap.”
Further optimized for long-term durability and harsh outdoor environments, the new package boasts a rigorous IP-67 rating. This standard validates the design has a high degree of immunity from both dust and moisture ingress, which provides more options for installation, even below grade.
With enhancements to its patented water flow sensing technology, compatibility has been expanded enabling a single submeter variant to work across a broader range of pipe sizes and types. Coupled with more processing power and optimized battery management, the new submeter is designed for expanded functionality and an even longer service life.
“Dune has always relied on its customers for inspiration,” Sarkissian added. “For example, even though our meter is not susceptible to freezing, we added a temperature sensing feature that can alert residents, property owners, and managers when pipes become dangerously cold. With advanced leak detection, we will quickly catch a pipe bursting but it’s a lot better for everyone if an issue can be avoided altogether.”
The Right Time for Water Submetering
Increasing water costs and the growing emphasis on water conservation are driving demand for advanced submetering solutions. As utilities and local governments continue to introduce measures and incentives to reduce water use, the adoption of innovative solutions is only going to increase. Driven by leak detection and real-time alerting requirements, some municipalities already offer rebates specifically for technologies that reduce water use and waste, which can significantly offset the initial cost for deploying qualified solutions.
Justin Schmid is the executive vice president and COO for Dune. He has 30-plus years of experience in technology and the wireless IoT space. As a leader at companies of various scale, Schmid has been instrumental in significant business growth and corporate transformations. He has run businesses with complete P&L responsibilities at multiple public companies and has deep domain-area experience in sales, marketing, business development, product management, customer success management, and operations. Schmid holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from U.C. Santa Barbara.
