The public utility Régie des Eaux de la Veaune (Drôme, France) has formalized a partnership with Kamstrup to deploy ultrasonic smart meters capable of detecting micro-leaks upstream of the meter. The project covers more than 10,530 Kamstrup flowIQ® 2200 and 3200 meters, a dedicated LoRaWAN network deployed by Sensing Vision, and data processing provided by Nogema Ingénierie. This constitutes one of the most comprehensive smart-metering upgrades currently underway in the French water sector.
The Régie des Eaux de la Veaune claim to be the first public operator in France to fully implement ultrasonic remote reading with pre-meter acoustic leak detection.
Metering, Leak Detection and IoT Network
According to Kamstrup, the flowIQ® 2200 series, which operates without moving parts and incorporates active acoustic listening (ALD), conducts 24 noise measurements per day and can detect anomalies both upstream and downstream of the meter. This functionality addresses a long-standing gap in conventional metering, where upstream leaks often remain undetected.
It was reported that Sensing Vision is engineering a dedicated LoRaWAN network for the utility, to support daily transmission of acoustic and consumption data, . A preliminary coverage study, based on 50 gateways placed on reservoirs, pumping stations, and municipal buildings indicates coverage of more than 78% of the meters currently installed. Further adjustments such as antenna elevation, mast tuning, or additional gateways installed with local support are expected to improve overall coverage. The network is designed to be interoperable and capable of supporting additional municipal IoT applications, including:
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building-energy monitoring
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access control
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air-quality measurement
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video protection
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environmental monitoring (e.g., flooding, weather)
Nogema Ingénierie will process all meter data through its analytics platform, which supports:
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prioritisation of leak alerts
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identification of recurring leak patterns
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differentiation between connection-level failures and main-network issues
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data visualisation to assist field teams
Expected operational outcomes
Once fully deployed, the Régie des Eaux de la Veaune expects to improve several aspects of network management, including:
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earlier detection of leaks, including those located up to 10 meters upstream of the meter
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reduction of non-revenue water
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more targeted maintenance interventions
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improved customer service through daily data availability
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better hydraulic performance across the distribution network
According to Director Pierre Savinel, the new system is intended to support both accurate billing and improved monitoring of water losses, including those occurring before the customer meter.
