Shoprite has already committed to supporting 100 schools and has, to date, received enough corporate pledges to install an additional 100 smart water meters. Among the many corporate pledges, Premier Foods has committed to sponsoring 50 smart water meters.
Bridgiot’s water meters measure and report water use by the minute by transmitting consumption information to an Internet app‚ and users are notified of any unexpected usage patterns via SMS and email.
Smart water meters are currently being installed at Cape Town schools on a daily basis, and Isikhokelo Primary School and Intshukumo Secondary School have already reported combined savings of about 25 000 litres of water per day.
"Implementing smart water meters at 200 schools in the Cape Town will result in the saving of approximately two million litres of water every single day," says professor Thinus Booysen from Stellenbosch University.
Companies supporting the smart water metre challenge will, like Shoprite, fund the meter, as well as the installation and management thereof, for a period of 12 months plus a once-off allowance for any repairs and essential maintenance required to reduce leakages and other water losses.
Apart from saving water, the initiative will aim to enable schools to make significant financial savings.
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