Jeremy Heath, Network Manager, Sutton & East Surrey Water

Dubai, UAE --- (METERING.COM) --- September 8, 2011 - The Water Security Risk Index, released by Maplecroft on World Water Day on March 22 this year, found that 18 countries around the world are at “extreme risk” of danger to their water security – and of these, 15 countries are in the Middle East.

In the past remedies have focused on increasing supply of water, but now they are turning to managing the demand for water. Water utilities in the region are now investing in managing, conserving and measuring of existing supplies.

“There is a tendency among engineers to embrace new technology, which is entirely understandable given the nature of our roles,” says Jeremy Heath, network manager at Sutton & East Surrey Water in the U.K. “However, when approaching smart metering, we need to be particularly careful within the water industry that we do not seek to utilize this emerging technology simply because it exists.”

Heath, who will be facilitating a Water Metering seminar on October 25 in Dubai, goes on to say that “it would be prudent for engineers to first analyze existing problems – annual and daily water demand patterns, resource deficits, leakage scenarios – and then ask ourselves how smart metering could be used to modify the customer behaviours to meet these concerns. It is in using these technologies to solve our long term concerns that metering becomes truly smart.”

Smart water metering is an issue that the Arab Countries Water Utilities Association (ACWUA) will cover in their participation and endorsement of the Water Meter Middle East Seminar.

Register for Water Meter Middle East, an engaging seminar on efficient use of smart water metering and making informed purchasing decisions, being held in Dubai on October 25, 2011.

To view the full seminar program Click here.

To participate in the water metering workshop and practical case studies Register online or contact Ayesha Sidar on tel. +27 21 700 3537 or Andre Huddlestone on tel. +27 21 700 3523.