A smart water meter records water use and sends readings remotely, either one way to a passing reader (AMR) or two way over a fixed network (AMI).
A smart water meter is a customer meter that records use electronically and sends readings without anyone reading the dial. There are two main levels. Automatic meter reading (AMR) sends readings one way, usually by short-range radio picked up by a reader walking or driving past. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) uses a fixed network, such as LoRaWAN, NB-IoT or a utility mesh, to send readings often, such as hourly, and allows two-way communication with the meter. The meter itself may be mechanical with an electronic register, or fully static, using ultrasonic or electromagnetic sensing with no moving parts. A battery-powered radio unit stores readings and sends them to a head-end system, which passes them to billing and analysis software. Utilities use smart meters for billing without estimates, leak alerts and demand data. A common check is continuous flow: if a home meter never drops to zero over a full day, there is likely a leak behind the meter, such as a running toilet. Hourly data from all meters in a district metered area can also be added up and compared with the inflow to estimate network losses. Strengths include fewer read visits, faster detection of customer leaks, data for demand forecasting and better water balances. Limits include cost, battery life (often designed for 10 to 15 years), radio gaps in basements and chambers, data privacy, and the work of managing large data volumes. Mechanical meters under-register at very low flows and lose accuracy as they wear, which adds to apparent losses. Static meters measure low flows better but can be affected by air in the pipe. Meter sizing, correct installation and a replacement plan still matter as much as the communication method.