The extreme drought that occurred in southwestern China a few months ago has had a profound impact. This year's "National Urban Water Conservation Publicity Week" has received special attention compared with previous years. Local governments have given greater publicity and coverage. Water saving is not just a slogan, but has become a major issue focused by the whole people. The relevant departments have promoted the implementation of water saving through policies.

As early as April this year, the National Development and Reform Commission held a symposium on public water price adjustment costs, which means that the National Development and Reform Commission is planning to introduce a water price market-based mechanism. At the end of May, the "Notice of the State Council Approving and Transmitting the Opinions of the Development and Reform Commission on the Key Work of Deepening the Economic System Reform in 2010" clearly stated that the water price reform will be steadily promoted and the residential water tiered price system will be implemented in areas where conditions permit.

As an effective measure to enhance the nation's awareness of water conservation, the stepped water price has stirred up a pool of water in the tap water industry. How to implement it scientifically and smoothly? This is a question that related organizations including water meter companies are thinking about together.

Tiered water price: the best way to save water in China

Water is the source of life, the lifeblood of the city. However, out of more than 600 cities across the country, more than 400 have insufficient water supply, and 110 of them suffer from severe water shortages. According to statistics, the total annual water shortage in my country's cities is 6 billion cubic meters, and the direct economic loss caused by water shortage is 200 billion yuan every year. Perhaps the economic losses caused by water shortages are not enough to touch everyone’s interests. Let’s take a look at the next set of data: Data from the World Bank shows that my country’s per capita water resources are only 2,200 cubic meters, which is only equivalent to the world average 1/4. Experts predict that when our country's population increases to 1.6 billion, the per capita water resources will drop to 1,750 cubic meters, which is close to the internationally recognized water resource stress standard.

But what is heartbreaking is that on the one hand, there is a serious shortage of water resources, on the other hand, it is uncontrolled squandering and waste. There are many examples of people showing no mercy to water resources. McKinsey, an internationally renowned management consulting organization, pointed out that China's total water demand in 2030 is 818 billion cubic meters. If water resources are not effectively monitored, the water gap will increase to 201 billion cubic meters.

From an economic point of view, inefficient utilization, that is, waste, is mainly caused by the deviation between the price and value of scarce resources. However, the "one size fits all" policy of raising water prices will put greater economic pressure on low-income households, and will fail to restrain and punish water waste. Therefore, the implementation of tiered water prices is considered the best way to save water in China.

Technology leveraging the pivot of water meter industry reform

At present, many local cities have begun trial operation of tiered water prices, but the old water meters cannot meet the requirement of simultaneously reading all data at the critical time point for calculating tiered water prices. Therefore, backward measurement methods are the biggest technical obstacle to restricting tiered water prices. Experts predict that the water meter industry will usher in a period of large-scale upgrading. Obviously, this will be a huge and attractive "cake". According to analysis by industry insiders, in the face of the current domestic water meter technology content is not high, facing the excellent opportunity to promote tiered water prices, the water meter industry is bound to undergo major changes.

In fact, the just-concluded "Fourth Water Industry Flow Meter Selection and Application Technology Seminar" just reflects this trend. At the meeting, some water meter companies demonstrated their high-tech smart water meters developed specifically for tiered water prices. It is reported that compared with the previous mechanical water meters and pulsed smart water meters, the products displayed this time have a breakthrough in both technology and concept. Among them, the "No-Blind Zone Passive Direct Reading Water Meter" launched by Ningbo Longkang Intelligent Meter Co., Ltd. has surpassed the direct reading smart water meter that represents the highest technology on the market with technical parameters and has become the focus of the industry.

"Real-time and timing are the core to realize the step water price," said Fan Jun, the vice general manager of Longkang Technology. "Our current research and development results directly address this demand. The technology of this'no blind zone passive direct reading water meter' The world's water meter industry is also a pioneer." It is understood that the two unique designs of Longkang Technology that are ahead of the international level are instant carry and insulation zone design, which makes the meter reading success rate and accuracy rate reach more than 99.9%, which is truly realized. There is no blind zone for meter reading. At the same time, the "non-blind zone passive direct-reading water meter" saves water metering through the data concentrator for easy reading at any time, which improves the efficiency of the water company's statistics and water price management.

Obviously, the large-scale promotion of tiered water prices has promoted the development of smart water meter technology and broadened the smart water meter consumer market. It is not difficult to predict that the water meter industry will usher in a new round of development opportunities. Which water meter manufacturer can provide the best measurement tool for the step water price can seize the market opportunity. Among them, unique and leading technology has become the "ultimate weapon" for competition in the water meter market.