AquaFlow Advanced Remote Shutoff Valve With Integrated AMI Endpoint
The AquaFlow Smart Valve (SV2) from Aquana is a three-position remote disconnect valve product with an integrated AMI endpoint. Designed and manufactured in the U.S., the Aquana AquaFlow is a meter agnostic valve with a modular design. AquaFlow offers a fully integrated solution with either LTE-M cellular or LoRaWAN connectivity, automatic leak detection, and access to the Aquana Cloud for a full AMI platform including meter reading, remote connect/disconnect, and billing system integration.
The AquaFlow Smart Valve gives water utilities a flexible and efficient way to incorporate remote water management into their service territory. AquaFlow helps improve employee safety while reducing operating expenses for water utilities by allowing remote start, stop, or reduced water delivery to specific locations without sending service personnel to the field. This added control streamlines frequent tasks such as service disconnection and reconnection in cases of non-payment, move-in/move-out or even during water restrictions.
Option Oriented Valve
AquaFlow offers water utilities a variety of configurable settings to best meet region specific requirements. The integrated AMI endpoint supports either pulse or encoded output meters, via 2 or 3-wire serial cables, to collect, store and transmit meter readings at user configurable check-in intervals. The valve also supports three flow positions (Open, Closed, Reduced Flow). These three positions offer maximum flexibility to the user. The position Reduced Flow is configured for trickle flow at 1-2GPM (60psi) for utilities that do not wish to fully disconnect water service. The Aquana Cloud API further enables flexible valve control and meter data management through any third-party CIS, MDM or other applications.
Swivel Nut Design
Each residential size valve is designed with NPSM threaded male and female swivel nut. AquaFlow valves come in three sizes to accommodate the varying utility infrastructure in each water utility district - 5/8”x1/2”, 3/4”, 1”. A swivel nut design allows easy installation directly to meter. The Aquana AquaControl cloud API further enables flexible valve control and meter data management through any third-party CIS, MDM or other applications.
Along with the AquaFlow smart valve, Aquana offers the new AquaFlex (AVS) product, which expands the Aquana smart valve portfolio of products targeted at the water utility market. AquaFlex valve is an IP68-rated remote disconnect ball valve designed to integrate with any existing Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) platform.
Pilot Program Assessment
As a way to best understand the near-term benefits of incorporating smart water valves, Aquana offers qualified utilities access to a pilot program. Through this unique trial program, a utility works with their preferred integration partner to install smart water valves at frequently engaged service connection locations. The pilot program uses the same cloud-based software and hardware as a full-scale deployment, but is aimed at helping utility operations teams build a business case for funding a deployment across a large portion of the service connections. Aquana’s research has shown that applying smart water remote shutoff valves to approximately 10% of service connections, especially those of repeat non-payers, yields a return on investment within the first year.