Smart Water City: Tel Aviv-Yafo, through its municipal water and sewage corporation “Mei Avivim”, has completed the deployment of an innovative, technological, and smart system for reading water meters, produced by the Israeli company Arad.
Expected savings for city residents, according to Arad: Over 10 million shekels annually.
Tel Aviv-Yafo, through the municipal water corporation “Mei Avivim”, has recently completed a large-scale infrastructure project involving the installation of approximately 250,000 smart water meters across the city, manufactured by thw Israel-based company Arad. These meters will enable significant efficiency and save money for all urban consumers.
Yesterday (Tuesday), a special ceremony was held in which Tel Aviv-Yafo Mayor Ron Huldai was presented with a smart water meter for his leadership in advancing sustainable technological solutions and turning Tel Aviv into a smart water city.
These advanced smart meters allow real-time monitoring, rapid leak detection, ongoing consumption data, and consumption control, along with additional features for a more personalized and accurate service for consumers.
Israel is one of the global leaders in smart water meter deployment, with a national rate of 75%. In Tel Aviv-Yafo, the rate now stands at a full 100%. The communication network deployed by Arad for Mei Avivim enables the Tel Aviv-Yafo water utility to also gather data on energy efficiency, public network leak detection to reduce water loss, continuous water quality data, and sewage and drainage levels, to help reduce flooding and support environmental sustainability.
Through this, Tel Aviv-Yafo is realizing the vision of a “Smart Water City”- managing its water system intelligently, efficiently, cost-effectively, and digitally – using advanced technology, artificial intelligence, and real-time data.
Tel Aviv-Yafo joins global cities such as Singapore, Barcelona, and Amsterdam in this initiative.
The smart meters also allow Tel Aviv residents to receive alerts in the case of suspected leaks, enabling early detection and repair. According to Arad, nearly 1 in 10 households in Tel Aviv experiences a water leak each year. The system ensures that when a leak is detected, Mei Avivim alerts the customer within 48 hours- a significant improvement over past practices.
According to Arad, household leaks can cost residents an average of ₪500 extra per year, with some cases reaching thousands of shekels. In homes with smart meters, leaks are typically repaired within 14 days, compared to 35 days previously- a major time reduction that results in saving over 1 million cubic meters (1 billion liters) of water per year, amounting to over ₪10 million in annual financial savings for Tel Aviv-Yafo residents.
Moreover, the financial savings could be even greater, considering the additional costs leaks often cause – such as property damage and insurance claims, which many consumers face without sufficient coverage.
At the ceremony, Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai, stated:
“The completion of the smart meter installation project across the city is a strategic move led by Mei Avivim in collaboration with the municipality, placing Tel Aviv-Yafo at the forefront of innovation in urban infrastructure management. Thanks to this project, our water system has been upgraded to a smart and precise network, enabling responsible and efficient water management, saving millions of shekels and hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of water. It’s an investment that may not be visible — but is certainly felt through improved service, real-time fault reporting, and a digital, transparent, and reliable customer experience. The city will continue to invest in smart infrastructure as part of a clear policy promoting sustainability, reducing pollution, enhancing services, and ensuring high quality of life for its residents.”
Gabi Yankovitz, CEO of Arad Group:
“Arad is proud to be part of the transformation of Tel Aviv into a Smart Water City. Thanks to the breakthrough technology and innovation in our smart meters, better measurement, leak prevention, and significant savings for consumers are now possible — helping preserve our precious water resource.”
Rouska Nicolaev, CEO of Mei Avivim:
“The new system is a vital tool for improving resident services — fewer faults, less water waste, and greater precision and convenience. For us, this is not just a technological leap; it’s a progressive way to serve the public accurately, efficiently, and reliably. Mei Avivim continues to strive for service improvement, resource savings, and the use of advanced technology for the benefit of all city residents.”
Written in collaboration with Mei Avivim
This article was originally published at www.jpost.com
