This Bengaluru-based company helping urbanites conserve water, save money

Is the value of water being taken for granted? Before it is too late for the consumers to answer this, startups are coming out with apt technology such as smart water meters for residential properties that could help consumers monitor water usage, and create water champions. Bengaluru-based startup SmarterHomes Technologies Pvt Ltd has entered Hyderabad with their Smart Water Management Platform – WaterOn. The platform provides leakage alerts, helps in monthly billing, among other features, all towards increasing water consumption awareness. Speaking to Bizz Buzz, COO of SmarterHomes Jitender Thirwani, said, “Water management is an essential component of creating sustainable smart homes where both conservation and accountability are paramount. With WaterOn, we are empowering users to measure and monitor their water consumption and pay for the exact amount of water they consume, eliminating flat-rate billing and promoting fairness. By integrating water management into the concept of smart homes we are here to achieve cost savings for homeowners.”

Briefly run us through the process of installing the meter, and the features of the platform...

Once the water metering solution is installed, one has to download the app in their phone (Android/IOS). Our team will configure the mail id. In one house, the same app can be used by multiple people. When it comes to the process of installation, once an enquiry comes in, we get in touch with the client to know their requirements and what kind of solutions they require. This is followed by a site or feasibility survey where we evaluate the types of pipes, the size and the plumbing structure. We also find out if there is a requirement of re-plumbing, if there is no re-plumbing required then, we just go ahead with the installation. We cut the pipe and install the meter based on the type and size of the pipe followed by testing. Our water management platform, WaterOn comes in variants which are backed by cutting edge technology, and provides various features under Water Report Card, and weekly insights.

Tell us about your presence and strength…

We are currently present in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, and recently expanded to Pune, Mumbai, and Kochi. We welcome new cities through which enquiries come in but again the ticket size of the project matters, as small projects are not a viable option for us right now. But, we are aware about the water problem that exists in most cities so, we are welcoming enquiries and picking it up on a case by case basis. We have over 240 clients and we have measured around nine billion liters of water. We have more than 40,000 devices operational in the market and till now we have raised around five million leakage alarms.

What is your plan for Hyderabad’s water management?

Real estate-wise, Hyderabad is a growing city and water crisis is not new to the city. Hence, we have been receiving enquiries here on a regular basis. We consider Hyderabad as a city filled with opportunity, a reason for which we already have an office base here. One of the primary operations for SmarterHomes including Chennai and Bengaluru is Hyderabad. We are serving over 35 clients here. This city is bigger in space than Bangalore. In the last two years we have seen a lot of real estate projects come up here. We feel that every apartment should be prepared for water management even before the need arises. In South India alone, there are a lot of cities that face problems in terms of water and as people keep migrating, the problem is only going to increase.

What difference did you witness while operating here compared to that in Bangalore?

Bangalore is a city where technology is very readily accepted and people are very quick to consider it. This is not the case in Hyderabad. But, we do get enquiries from this city that means there is a buzz. People are not completely against using technology for water in the city but, they are slowly opening up to accept and realise the need for WaterOn.

In future, will SmarterHomes be operating only in the water management segment?

We do not plan to venture into other smart devices of a home. We wish to make it big as category creators in the water management space. Later on, we also want to introduce rain water harvesting and tap into STP. This means, anything that is holistically helping manage water in a property. To begin with we are into measuring and monitoring space where we are making people conscious about their water consumption and helping them detect leakages and save water through behavioural change.

What is the market size and demand for your IoT integrated smart meter WaterOn?

According to industry insights, the smart metering market is on a robust growth trajectory. In 2022, it was valued at around $3.7 billion, and it is projected to reach an impressive $6.4 billion by 2027, boasting a remarkable Compound Annual Growth Rate of 11.6 per cent during the forecast period. Specifically, in India, a rapidly growing market, the water meters sector is expected to experience a CAGR of 11.4 per cent from 2022 to 2029, according to the analysis by Data Bridge Market Research. This underscores the increasing demand for innovative solutions like WaterOn. The market demand for our water management solution - WaterOn is rapidly growing, driven by the pressing need for water conservation and management. There are over 36,100 existing apartments and 9,500 upcoming apartments in the top 24 cities in India and each one of them would require a water metering solution, representing a substantial market. We are currently witnessing a remarkable uptake, with a strong presence in regions where water scarcity is a concern. Our innovative solution is addressing the unmet needs of both individual properties and larger apartment complexes, making it a valuable asset for communities and homeowners alike.

What are the challenges that startups like yours have to deal with?

The mindset of people to pay for water does not exist. They do not think that water can go completely scarce one day, unlike people who have stayed in cities with water scarcity and experienced day zero like Chennai. We think people should not look for metering only for scarcity and wait until the time the problem arises. Right now, the biggest challenge is the mindset of the people which is that they react only when there is a problem. We wish to spread awareness and educate people about the upcoming scarcity of water that is only going to turn worse. We cannot change or increase the water supply since it is not in our hands and demand for it keeps increasing. What we can ensure is efficiently using and managing the amount we already have.

What is the amount of water conservation achieved till now through WaterOn?

Smart meters, like our innovative water solution - WaterOn play a pivotal role in revolutionizing water conservation efforts for residential properties. These advanced meters, designed to record accurate water consumption and present valuable insights on platforms like mobile apps and dashboards, have demonstrated the potential to reduce water consumption significantly. In fact, our data-driven approach has shown that smart meters have the capacity to reduce water consumption by up to 35 per cent in individual properties and apartments. This substantial reduction is achieved through the power of accurately measuring and monitoring water consumption, which empowers users with awareness of their water usage patterns. Armed with this knowledge, individuals can take immediate corrective actions, making smarter choices about their water consumption.