Caracterização do consumo de água: comparativo entre hidrômetros convencionais e ultrassônicos em Fortaleza e Região Metropolitana

Abstract

Water consumption is directly related to the availability of this essential resource, which is limited and unevenly distributed across the planet. Although Brazil has one of the largest freshwater reserves in the world, access to this resource varies significantly between regions, especially in the Northeast, as is the case in the state of Ceará, impacting consumption and water management of this essential resource. With population growth and increasing demand for drinking water, it becomes increasingly important to understand and manage water consumption efficiently. In this context, the use of measurement technologies, such as conventional and ultrasonic water meters, plays a fundamental role in measuring water consumption. This study aims to characterize water consumption in relation to the use of conventional water meters compared to ultrasonic ones in Fortaleza and the metropolitan region. To this end, an analysis was carried out of the consumption profile of 2,000 customers distributed across different Business Units, who use ultrasonic water meters with telemetry. The research evaluated water measurement records for each type of water meter, identifying variations in consumption and reading accuracy. Furthermore, the technical characteristics of conventional and ultrasonic meters were presented, highlighting their advantages and disadvantages. The results show significant differences in the way consumption is recorded between the two types of water meters, indicating that the use of ultrasonic meters can provide greater precision in measurement and better water management, given their precision in measuring water, thus reducing losses due to undersizing. Furthermore, the correlation between high consumption per economy and the high purchasing power of the regions located in the UN-MTL was verified, as well as the influence of high population density and the relationship this has with consumption per economy in the UN-MTN, MTO and MTS units. The adoption of the ultrasonic water meter represents an efficient alternative for monitoring water consumption in proven units, highlighting its measurement accuracy and advantages linked to this, such as the possibility of remote monitoring of consumption, providing valuable tools for both water companies and consumers with regard to the conscious use of water, such a precious and finite resource.