Water meter manufacturer MyWater has launched a solar-powered water meter for South African consumers.
Larry Symington, CEO of MyWater, explains the meter is a solar-powered GSM communications system and requires very little light to remain charged. It has been developed for every home in SA with municipal supplied piped water.
The MyWater meter keeps track of exactly what users consume monthly, and lets them obtain an update of the water they have used instantly on their mobile devices.
Symington says the solar panel allows the consumer the option to recharge the battery for the in-home monitor, which displays real-time meter reading and money owed to the municipality on an ongoing basis.
The device can be charged by being placed the in the sun for a couple of hours. It does offer an alternative method of charging by means of a small, cellphone-type charger, says Symington.
"What it boils down to is we are offering a device that combines three crucial aspects of human survival - namely solar power, water and communications," he says.
Symington notes the device appeals to consumers in both the lower and higher living standards measure brackets, as it reduces the amount of electricity used, while also offering the environmentally friendly aspect of being solar powered.
"We have already begun receiving enquiries from elsewhere in Africa where the electricity situation is less than stable, which shows that the benefits of this meter go far beyond the metropolitan municipalities."
"MyWater has funded a pilot test project with the solar-powered water meter in Matsulu, Mpumalanga with much success," mentions Symington.
"Our most critical aim when we launched this solution was to help educate people and ensure they understand the real value of water. The solar-powered meter is a new step which enables us to take this important message to a much broader population," he concludes.
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