Press Release
Start of demonstration experiment on remote water valve control using the smart meter communication network in Awa City, Tokushima Prefecture
April 16, 2026
Awa City, Tokushima Prefecture
Shikoku Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Company, Incorporated
Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc.
NIPPO VALVE CO., LTD.
Hino Engineering ,Inc.
Awa City, Tokushima Prefecture (hereinafter "Awa City"), Shikoku Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Company, Incorporated (hereinafter "YONDEN T&D"), Chubu Electric Power Co., Inc. (hereinafter "Chubu Electric Power"), NIPPO VALVE CO., LTD. (hereinafter "NIPPO VALVE"), and Hino Engineering ,Inc. (hereinafter "Hino Engineering") have announced the commencement today of a demonstration experiment (hereinafter this "Demonstration") to remotely open and close water valves using the communication network of smart electricity meters.
In accordance with the Water Supply Act, Awa City routinely drains water from end points of the pipeline and other locations to prevent a drop in residual chlorine levels within the pipes caused by stagnant water, with the aim of ensuring safety and preventing bacterial growth.
At the same time, however, excessive discharges have led to a decline in the revenue water ratio (Note), and there is a need to achieve efficient water supply operations that maintain appropriate residual chlorine levels while minimizing unnecessary discharges.
In this Demonstration, smart water meter and remotely controllable water valve (smart water valve) developed by NIPPO VALVE and Hino Engineering will be installed at the target end-of-pipe drainage points. The wastewater volume data acquired from the smart water meter is then linked to the Chuden MDMS provided by Chubu Electric Power through the smart electricity meter communication network provided by YONDEN T&D. This will enable us to determine the volume of wastewater discharged and to verify the suitability of the smart water valve for actual operation and its effectiveness in improving the revenue water ratio through remote water shutoff and flow.
It will also collect data on changes in residual chlorine concentration as a result of wastewater volume adjustments, enabling us to verify the appropriate discharge volume required to maintain residual chlorine levels.
The five parties will work together to achieve efficient management of the water supply business and contribute to solving problems in administrative services and increasing the benefits to water users.
(Note) The ratio of the volume of water for which revenue was collected to the total volume of water supplied
Overview of the Demonstration
1. Demonstration Period
April 2026 - October 2026
2. Test sites
1 location in the Omata-yamaji area, Ichiba-cho, Awa City
3. Demonstration Items
- Verification of the suitability of smart water valves for actual operation and their effectiveness in improving revenue water ratio
- Acquisition of data on changes in residual chlorine levels due to adjustments in discharge volume, and verification of the appropriate discharge volume required to maintain residual chlorine levels
Attachment
Attachment1
Overview of Smart Water Valves
Features of Smart Water Valves
(1) Communication function
It is equipped with a communication function with MDMS (Meter Data Management System), a water meter reading data management system provided by Chubu Electric Power.
The communication method used is automatic meter reading meter communication (8-bit message), which is also used for electronic water meters.
(2) Remote open/close function
In response to instructions from the MDMS, water valves can be opened or closed remotely and immediately.
(3) Status confirmation function
The status of the water valve (open/closed) and the battery level of the smart water valve can be checked via the MDMS.
(4) Alarm function
An alert can be sent to the MDMS when the battery level of the smart water valve is low.
Appearance of Smart Water Valve
