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Case Studies > SMART Watering Systems reduced operating costs and rapidly scaled their solutions that help businesses and municipalities save water and reduce environmental impact.

SMART Watering Systems reduced operating costs and rapidly scaled their solutions that help businesses and municipalities save water and reduce environmental impact.

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Real Time Analytics
Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Connectivity Platforms

Applicable Industries

Agriculture
Cities & Municipalities

Applicable Functions

Facility Management
Maintenance

Use Cases

Predictive Maintenance
Remote Asset Management
Water Utility Management

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services
System Integration

The Challenge

Recent population growth and aging infrastructure in Ontario, Canada, have led municipalities to raise water rates between five to 11 percent a year. This increase in water rates is driving commercial and agricultural customers to consider more efficient water use and promote sustainable practices. SMART Watering Systems (SWS) faced challenges in managing irrigation systems due to reliance on slow, unreliable radio channels for communication. Up-to-date information about customers’ water consumption was not readily available, and diagnosing problems within the irrigation system was difficult.

About The Customer

SMART Watering Systems (SWS) is a company based in Ontario, Canada, that leverages IoT technology to automate water management processes. The company aims to create water-saving solutions that help businesses and municipalities reduce their environmental impact. SWS serves a diverse range of customers, including landscape irrigation users, horticultural industries, and municipal infrastructure sectors. Over the past four years, SWS has helped its customers save more than 79 million gallons (300 million liters) of potable water. The company is focused on promoting smart water consumption and conservation approaches, making it a key player in the water management industry.

The Solution

SMART Watering Systems implemented the Cisco Jasper platform, specifically using Control Center, to remotely manage irrigation systems. This platform allowed SWS to eliminate the challenges associated with slow and unreliable radio channels by enabling remote monitoring and the use of various sensing technologies. Control Center streamlined device management, allowing SWS to turn devices on and off, order new lines, and diagnose issues from a single interface. This automation reduced the number of personnel needed to manage connected devices by 75 percent. The platform also helped SWS manage communication plans in a seasonal environment, quickly turning communication plans on and off to reduce overall costs. The data received from connected devices helps customers make better decisions regarding water use, promote conservation, and modify behaviors related to water consumption.

Operational Impact

Control Center's automation capabilities allowed SWS to reduce staffing needs by 75%, enabling the company to operate with just two people instead of six to ten.
The platform enabled SWS to manage devices and respond to issues remotely, eliminating the need for physical access to customer properties and involving their staff.
SWS was able to grow and expand exponentially, serving a larger audience due to the efficiencies gained from IoT and Control Center.

Quantitative Benefit

SWS helped irrigation users save more than 79 million gallons (300 million liters) of potable water over the past four years.
Control Center reduced the number of people needed to manage connected devices by 75%.