A pilot combining 5G technology and social innovation to improve water efficiency starts in Móra la Nova

• 60 water meters in Móra la Nova will be upgraded with 5G remote sensing units that allow real-time data consumption reading, leak detection, water service breakdown or interruption as well as emergency situations detection.
• The pilot is part of the Terres de l’Ebre 5G Area, a project that assesses the challenges and needs of various sectors (such as agri-food and energy) and tackles them through 5G based products and services.
• This pilot will help reduce water waste, encourage a responsible use of water and offer new social services to the area’s population.

December 1, 2022

Representatives of the Móra la Nova Town Council, the Ribera d’Ebre County Council, the Generalitat de Catalunya, Mobile World Capital Barcelona (MWCapital), i2CAT Foundation, Aigües de Catalunya and Telefónica presented this morning a new pilot based on 5G and artificial intelligence technologies combined with remote tracking and algorithms for greater water efficiency.

The pilot, driven by Aigües de Catalunya, Ajuntament de Móra la Nova and Telefónica within the Àres 5G Terres de l’Ebre initiative, consists in upgrading the municipality water meters with remote reading units that ensure efficiency and reduce water waste.

5G reduced latency will make real time consumption tracking possible by combining multiple devices (IoT), the energy efficiency of which will be improved and their operation in locations with limited access and coverage guaranteed.

5G technology to reduce water waste

Water is an increasingly scarce but essential resource for any industrial, urban or agricultural activity. The 5G Smart Meters pilot promotes remote reading and algorithms as a solution to this problem. The installation of these 60 water meters makes real-time water consumption tracking possible thus reducing the response time in the face of leaks or breakdowns, which poses a risk to productivity and the proper functioning of processes and equipment in critical infrastructures. It also helps detect water service interruptions, malfunctioning or non-consumption which may be motivated by an emergency situation. In addition, this data helps monitor the populations activity, as well as those ub buildings and industries.

Telefónica’s 5G network in Móra la Nova has been key to the deployment of this pioneering project, as it provides low latency connection. In addition, Telefónica has provided the water meters with Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) SIM cards that increase data communication capacity and allow for real-time water consumption data reading.

The pilot consists of 37 water meters in the Els Aubals de Móra la Nova industrial park and 1 sectorial water meter collecting data from the entire industrial complex, all of them equipped with 5G remote reading units to monitor consumption and improve water efficiency; 20 water meters in the homes of people over 75 living on their own, which allow for real-time consumption or non-consumption data collection thus generating automatic alerts that are sent to Social Services in the face of possible emergencies; and the installation of water meters in local buildings, such as the sports center, library or educational centers, to also monitor and improve consumption.

The project has been developed in 3 phases: the installation of the sensors, water meters and measuring equipment; algorithm development and technological tools implementation to make water remote monitoring possible; and the testing of water meters and controls to implement results based solutions.

Terres de l’Ebre 5G area: 5G technology at the service of the energy, agri-food, health and rural areas

Terres de l’Ebre 5G Area aims at strengthening the territory’s strategic sectors, such as energy production – some of Catalonia’s key power plants are located in this area; the agri-food sector, deeply rooted around the rich in irrigated agriculture Ebro river; the health sector, where 5G technology can help regional hospitals improve their service by providing remote assistance; and rural areas comprising wild environments and natural parks.

Terres de l’Ebre 5G Area was possible thanks to the alliance between the Generalitat de Catalunya, MWCapital, Fundació i2CAT and local partners Consell Comarcal de la Ribera d’Ebre, the Tarragona Council, the Institute for the Development of the Ebro Regions and the Consortium for Industrial Land Development in Molló.

This kind of pilot boosts economic activity and innovation, in addition to reducing the rural digital gap.

ABOUT MOBILE WORLD CAPITAL

Mobile World Capital Barcelona is an initiative that drives the digital development of society and helps improve people’s lives globally. With public and private support, MWCapital focuses its activity on four areas: accelerating innovation through digital entrepreneurship; the transformation of the industry through digital technology; the growth of digital talent among new generations and professionals; and reflection on the impact of technology on our society. Collectively, its programs are positively transforming the economy, education, and society. MWCapital hosts MWC in Barcelona and is the founder of 4 Years From Now (4YFN), the business platform for the startup community present at all MWC events around the world.