2 companies chosen to supply smart shower devices to 10,000 homes

SINGAPORE: National water agency PUB has appointed two companies – Amphiro AG and Smart and Blue – to supply and deliver smart shower devices to 10,000 new homes. 

The devices are meant to provide households with real-time feedback on their water consumption, which will allow families to adjust their habits and take steps to save water, said PUB on Monday (Oct 9).

The agency announced in April that it had put out a call for proposals to supply these smart devices. They will be installed in HDB’s new Build-to-Order flats from the first quarter of 2018.

PUB said it received a total of four proposals, adding that Amphiro AG and Smart and Blue “stood out for their track records and proposed device model”.

Swiss-based Amphiro AG’s proposal included a panel display of numerical figures, while French company Smart and Blue’s pitch involved colour codes at the showerhead, with a darker colour indicating that more water is being used. 

Both companies also proposed “advanced interactive features” such as allowing users to set their own water conservation goals and monitor consumption history, said PUB.

Citing a study conducted with the National University of Singapore from July 2015 to March 2016, PUB said households can save about five litres of water a person a day when provided with real-time information on water usage during showers.  

“Building on this, we have reached out to the industry and two different ways in which the information can be conveyed to the customers have emerged.

“We hope to compare the results of these two products and learn with the intent for wider adoption and more options for customers,” said Mr Michael Toh, PUB’s director for Water Supply (Network). 

PUB said showering usually makes up 29 per cent of a houshold’s monthly water consumption. It added that with the use of smart shower devices, households can potentially save about 3 per cent of their monthly water bill.