A Smart Tap to Fight Excess Water Use

The device is used to tell the user how much water he consumed, at what time and from what tap

Mustapha Lakhdari is a civil engineer. He says that he is very passionate about the development of software and electronic systems. And this passion encompasses diverse scientific and technical competitions. In 2010, he participated in the Microsoft Imagine Cup competition with a water-saving solution. 

His project is to put a meter on each tap to measure consumption in real time. With each use, consumption measurements from all taps are transferred to a storage device with a software analysis of consumption data. The device is used to tell the user how much water he consumed, at what time and from what tap. "These detailed statistics will help the user to economize water because the real problem is that we do not know where we consumed much more water, either in the kitchen or in the bathroom ... etc., " said Mustapha.

In addition to actual consumption, the software can also determine the level of ideal consumption (eg: 40 liters per day in the kitchen). Ideal consumption is calculated on the basis of several parameters, including age and the number of people in a household, the location of the tap (shower, washbasin...) and geographical location (country and region). The idea may be most useful in Algeria, a country hard hit by water shortages.

The seventh place award obtained at the Microsoft competition gave Lakhdari courage. Since then, the young inventor fights daily to realize his project. In June 2013 he founded a small company specializing in water services and the Goutra (drop) business, and trying to move forward on the development of a smart tap prototype. Mustapha and his team should finish the prototype by November 2014. They work with an Algerian company specializing in electronic parts, but the project needs partners to transition to the production phase.

The Future in the Price of Water

In terms of competition, the young inventor has his reasons not to worry too much about existing solutions on the market or patents. Unlike the project, existing measuring systems put the meter before the valve. These "solutions are not very effective. They only measure the overall household consumption while it is important to know if I consumed 2 or 4 liters of water to wash my hands."

And that's not all. Most existing solutions are based on the principle of limiting the flow to slow consumption. Smart tap, meanwhile, does not limit anything. It just gives the consumer the ability to control its consumption by providing detailed information. "Theoretically, the solution would be between 30 and 80 percent water savings but on the ground it depends on the behavior of people" Mustapha said.

The concept begins to seduce. Goutra is in contact with two potential clients based abroad. Government agencies including the Department of Water Resources showed their willingness to support the project on the communication level. This interest is explained by the fact that water management companies in cities always communicate on the topic of water conservation. Meanwhile, Mustapha has not failed to protect his invention to save the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI). He as taken the same approach with European and U.S. agencies.

The future of smart tap Algeria rests on the price of water meter. "When the water bill will be heavier, Algerians will seek solutions to save money," says the inventor. 

Source: The China Post

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Taxonomy

• Water
• Taps Design
• Consumption