Today, Shenzhen Jiaronghua Technology Co., Ltd. welcomed a valued client from Serbia—an enterprise leading local “smart living” initiatives. Their visit wasn’t just a routine meetup; it was a focused discussion on a key opportunity: modernizing Serbia’s large number of outdated mechanical water meters with Jiaronghua’s smart solutions. The conversation quickly turned into a dynamic exchange of needs and solutions, and we’re excited to share the highlights!
The Need: Serbia’s Mechanical Water Meter Challenge
The client first outlined Serbia’s current situation: while urban areas are adopting smart tech, many regions—especially suburban and rural areas—still rely on traditional mechanical water meters. These meters function, but they come with critical drawbacks:
- Manual reading: Time-consuming and labor-intensive, requiring staff to visit each household.
- Human error: Misread dials lead to inaccurate billing and disputes.
- No real-time data: Impossible to track water usage or detect leaks promptly.
However, there’s a silver lining: Serbia’s NB-IoT network coverage has reached 90%, the client shared. This is a game-changer for smart meter rollouts—NB-IoT is ideal for water meters, as it offers long-range connectivity, ultra-low power consumption (batteries last 5+ years), and stable data transmission. Naturally, the client expressed strong interest in partnering to replace mechanical meters with Jiaronghua’s NB-IoT smart water meters in covered areas.
Plan B for Remote Areas: LoRaWAN Smart Water Meter
A LoRaWAN Smart Water Meter is an intelligent water metering device that uses the LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) protocol—a global, open wireless standard—to measure water consumption and transmit data wirelessly. Unlike traditional mechanical meters, it:
- Automatically records real-time water usage (no manual reading needed);
- Sends data over long distances (up to 2-5km in open areas) with ultra-low power (batteries last 5–10 years);
- Works with LoRaWAN gateways to connect to cloud-based management systems for billing, leak detection, and usage analysis.
The Smart Workaround: Meter Reading Camera for Certification Hurdles
A major challenge in Serbia? Strict local certification requirements for new water meters. Replacing every mechanical meter at once would face delays due to certification processes. That’s when the client’s eyes lit up at Jiaronghua’s Meter Reading Camera—a clever workaround that skips the need for full meter replacement.
Here’s how it works:
- Easy installation: The camera clips directly onto existing mechanical meters (no tools, no pipe disassembly).
- Automated reading: It takes clear photos of the meter dial at set intervals.
- AI-powered analysis: Photos are uploaded to Jiaronghua’s cloud-based smart metering system, which uses AI to convert images into accurate digital readings.
- Seamless billing: The system generates monthly bills automatically, enabling users to pay online—no more paper invoices or manual calculations.
This solution cuts labor costs by 70% (no more manual reading!) and avoids certification delays. The client called it “the perfect bridge between old hardware and smart technology.”
Why Smart Water Meters Matter Globally
This collaboration isn’t just about Serbia—it reflects a global trend. As technology advances, upgrading water meters has become urgent worldwide:
- End-users want convenience: Fast, online payment options instead of waiting for manual billing.
- Cities need efficiency: Smart data helps reduce water waste (e.g., detecting leaks within hours) and manage resources better.
- Businesses seek savings: Automated processes cut labor costs and billing errors.
At Jiaronghua, we’re prepared for this shift. Beyond NB-IoT, LoRaWAN smart meters, and Meter Reading Cameras, we also produce:
- STS code meters: Compliant with international standards for prepaid billing.
- IC card meters: Enable users to pay for water in advance via IC cards.
Better yet, these solutions work for both water and electricity meters—offering one-stop smart energy management for our clients.
Let’s Collaborate!
If you’re working on smart living or energy management projects—whether in Serbia, Europe, or anywhere else globally—and need reliable, flexible water or electricity meter solutions, we’d love to hear from you.
Jiaronghua’s goal is to turn outdated infrastructure into efficient, sustainable systems. Let’s work together to make every drop of water (and every kilowatt of electricity) count.
Contact us today to start your smart metering journey!
— The Jiaronghua Team