The document discusses the SmartH2O project which aims to stimulate residential water efficiency through smart metering, water pricing, and social media. The project will understand current water consumption behaviors, predict how behaviors can be influenced by social awareness campaigns, dynamic water prices, and then raise consumer awareness of their habits to encourage water reduction. Smart meters will measure the impact of different policies on consumption while social networks, feedback apps, and competitive pricing schemes will engage consumers to conserve water. The project will test these approaches through case studies in the UK and Switzerland.

1. Smart
metering,
water
pricing
and
social
media
to
stimulate
residential
water
efficiency:
opportunities
for
the
SmartH2O
project
J.J
Harou,
P.
Garrone,
A.E.
Rizzoli,
A.
Maziotis,
A.Castelletti,
P.
Fraternali,
J.
Novak,
R.
Wissmann-­‐Alves,
P.A.
Ceschi
WDSA
2014,
Bari,
Italy

2. The
project
concept
Understand
and
model
the
current
behaviour
of
water
consumers
Predict
how
the
consumer
behaviour
can
be
influenced
by
social
awareness
campaigns
dynamic
water
prices
Raise
the
awareness
of
the
consumers
on
their
current
habits
and
stimulate
them
to
reduce
water
use

3. An
overview
consumer
behaviour
changes
abstract numeric
water consumption data
translate
impacts on
individual consumer
impacts on others
and environment
SmartH20
visualize
consumption patterns,
habits and preferences
interpret
individual awareness
collective awareness
social awareness
gains
smart
meter
trigger
monitor
react
provide
display
social
network
water company
municipal
supplier

4. Water
demand
management
Five
categories
reducing
consumption
by
technology
(e.g.
better
dishwashers)
water
pricing
water
restrictions
encouragement
education

5. The
role
of
smart
meters
Smart
meters
can
measure
the
impact
of
the
different
policies
Meter
reading
feedback
is
not
enough
(Degen
2013)
Feedback
must
be
accompanied
by
guidance
and
information

6. The
“social”
approach
of
SmartH2O
Conserving
water
by
raising
social
awareness
use
social
networks
to
provide
examples
of
virtuous
behaviour
stimulate
“social
competition”
provide
timely
feedback
with
a
smart
app
(social
game
/
games
with
a
purpose)

7. Water
pricing
in
SmartH2O
User
behaviour
and
pricing
policies
Saving
water
by
dynamic
pricing
schemes
pricing
is
not
privatizing
we
consider
real-­‐time
tariffs
and
social
pricing
real
time
data
from
smart
meters
can
be
used
to
modulate
prices

8. Water
pricing
in
SmartH2O
Typical
urban
water
pricing
schemes
uniform
marginal
price
(UP)
increasing
block
prices
(IBP)
decreasing
block
prices
(DBP)
All
of
above
plus
a
fixed
cost
for
water
service
Studies
show
how
IBP
can
provide
incentives
to
save
water
Residential
water
denied
is
inelastic,
but
not
perfectly

9. The
effectiveness
of
water
pricing
Problem:
lag
between
price
changes
and
consumer
response
The
customer
response
is
very
varied
Smart
meters
can
shorten
the
lag?
Timely
feedback
can
change
customer
response
to
price
variations?

10. The
SmartH2O
approach
Assess
traditional
water
pricing
models
Evaluate
new
models:
critical
peak
pricing
differential
tariffs
based
on
use
time
varied
pricing
customised
pricing

11. Modelling
the
domestic
water
user
User/household
attributes
Age
Income
level
Education
level
Household
composition
Water
devices
efficiency
Presence
of
garden/swimming
pool
Environmental
committment
External
drivers
Climate
Water
price
Regulations
Incentives

12. The
process
DATA
GATHERING
USER
PROFILES
MODELING
RESPONSE
TO
WDM
STRATEGIES
MULTI-­‐AGENT
MODELS

13. sH2O
Case
Studies
sH2O
CASE
STUDY_UK
4000
meters
15
min
reading
interval
5
districts:
2
in
London,
1
in
Reading,
1
in
Swindon
sH2O
CASE
STUDY_Swiss
400
meters
will
be
installed
during
the
first
year
of
sH2O

14. We
are
not
alone!
The
ICT
for
Water
Management
Cluster:
a
group
of
projects
working
together
a
set
of
EU
funded
projects
dealing
with
the
impact
of
information
and
communication
technologies
on
water
use
and
water
resources
management.
These
projects
work
independently,
but
they
regularly
meet
to
exchange
data,
experiences,
results.
International
Co-­‐operation
is
strongly
sought
after,
in
order
to
create
an
even
wider
cluster,
breaking
the
EU
borders