Aquana Announced New Automatic Water Shutoff Valve

Aquana, LLC., a subsidiary of Geospace Technologies, announced a new remote shutoff valve that the company calls the Actuator Valve Serial (AVS). It is an IP68-rated remote disconnect ball valve claimed to integrate with any advanced metering infrastructure (AMI).

An IP, or ingress protection, code is an international standard that indicates how well a device protects against water or dust. The first digit in this case indicates that the device is dust-right in an 8-hour test. The second digit, 8, means the valve can prevent water entry even if immersed in a meter of water (just over three feet).

Advanced Metering Infrastructure, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, is a system that can frequently collect real-time data to identify unusual water usage patterns. The AMI can signal the AVS to slow or shut down water flow.

In January, a new report from Aon Canada’s Real Estate Practice, noted that water damage is the leading cause of claims in frequency and dollar value, constituting 47% of all insurance claims. The study found that 23% of the total water damage amounts could have been “successfully mitigated” with leak detection and water flow management systems. That would have represented $4.8 million in losses. Mitigation would have eliminated $3.3 million. So, while 58% could have been positively affected, only 23% would have been successfully mitigated. Not a magic solution, but a useful tool.

“The Aquana AVS provides an affordable solution for water utilities seeking to incorporate remote water shutoff into their service territory,” a company press release said. “The AVS helps improve employee safety while reducing operating expenses for water utilities by allowing remote start, stop, or reduced water delivery to specific locations without sending service personnel to the field.”

The valve is approved for use with Itron’s AMI network and is claimed to be compatible with AMI systems from other vendors, eliminating the need for separate wireless connections to enable shut-off capabilities.

“The two-piece design allows for separate installation of the valve body and the actuator” to make installation easier, says the company. “The AVS offers up to five different valve positions including open, closed, and up to three reduced-flow options that utilities can customize to their needs. AVS includes built-in tamper detection that provides alerts in case of potential intrusion.”

Although designed for utilities, the use can ultimately aid a property owner by identifying leaks that also could be in a building. That said, having a separate system within a building, which could identify and close down leaks at a more granular level, would seem to make sense.