Japan-backed smart water meters launched in Faisalabad

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has launched a smart water metering project in collaboration with Japan, which officials described as the first initiative of its kind in Punjab.

WASA Managing Director Engineer Saqib Raza said this while chairing a meeting attended by experts from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and senior WASA officials.

He said the first phase of the project would involve the installation of 8,400 modern smart water meters in areas falling within WASA's jurisdiction.

The new system would enable remote monitoring of water consumption and automated meter readings, reducing reliance on conventional manual meter-reading procedures, he said.

Saqib Raza said the smart technology would also help detect water wastage and leakage at an early stage by identifying abnormal consumption patterns, enabling WASA to take corrective measures more efficiently.

The system would be integrated with WASA's existing digital infrastructure to develop a more connected and technology-driven water management system, he added.

According to the MD, smart metering would promote transparent billing, improve revenue collection and strengthen the management of available water resources. It would also help reduce energy-related expenditure and contribute to a more equitable distribution of water.

He described the project as an important milestone in WASA Faisalabad's efforts to modernise conventional water-service management and provide citizens with more transparent, efficient and reliable services.

He said implementation had begun through joint efforts by Japanese experts and WASA Faisalabad, adding that international technical cooperation would help introduce modern water-management practices and improve the utility's operational efficiency.

The project is expected to provide WASA with more accurate and timely water-consumption data, enabling better planning, monitoring and decision-making while strengthening the financial and operational sustainability of the city's water supply system.