IBM analytics technology to help Arad Group better manage water solutions

Israel-based water meter systems company Arad Group is working with IBM researchers to effectively and efficiently manage water solutions through IBM’s Big Data and analytics technology.

IBM’s solutions will help Arad Group better manage drinking water, identify and reduce leaks, cut costs, prevent water loss, reduce false alarms and save money.

The analytics technology will further provide insight into the gathered water consumption data, and help both the water utility to gain control of the water network and manage the valuable resource more effectively.

Arad Group is working with IBM to integrate the latest analytics algorithms into its Dailog3G and City-Mind software.

Arad Group CEO Gabi Yankovitz said, "Highly specialised analytics from IBM provide an additional layer of insight into our technology, allowing us to provide utilities and water companies worldwide with the most advanced solutions and services to reduce water costs, improve customer service and provide higher efficiency of water usage."

The Big Data and analytics technology will help Arad’s clients tackle the huge volumes of data gathered from a growing number of resources, including data collected from utility meter readings and sensors and identify early on the indications of abnormal consumption, determine leak and water wastage.

The IBM algorithms are based on machine learning, data mining, and statistical analysis techniques and will guide Arad’s City-Mind software to learn whether water consumption usage is a pattern or due to seasonal demand, and whether it coincides with neighbouring families’ consumption.

Big Data analytics developed by IBM scientists in Israel can identify problems and patterns and differentiate between issues, such as leaks and excessive use of water.

It also provides water utilities with an insight and helps identify if low or no water use is sign of a problem or not.

IBM Research director Oded Cohn said the insights can revolutionise data management for utilities and help them transform their business.

"Analysing customer data that is collected for billing purposes can serve as a crucial factor in saving valuable resources and improving service in many industries," Cohn added.

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Image: IBM R&D building at Haifa University, Israel. Photo: Courtesy of Orrling.