Toilet Leak Sensors

Identify toilet leaks to reduce wasted water and energy.
Resource Use

Problem addressed

There are an estimated 50m+ toilets in the UK, and according to Waterwise, 5-8% of toilets are leaking. Dual flush toilets, introduced in the 1980’s are susceptible to leaking, and undetectable leaks (invisible to the naked eye) can waste 11 litres or water per hour.

To put this into perspective, if 10% of leaks are undetectable that is an estimated 218,000 Olympic sized swimming pools of fresh water being wasted and all the associated energy required in filtering and pumping that water.

The cost of this water can result in higher than expected bills too.

Solution overview

The Aguardio Sensor can identify leaks down to 4 litres per hour, it has a 10+ year battery and costs just over a 1p /day.

The Aguardio Leak Sensor is also capable of counting toilet flushes. This can be used to gain insights into individual toilet usage which could be used to assist with cleaning routines and preventative maintenance. The sensor is very simple to install by connecting the unit to the toilet in the water inlet pipe with a plastic tie. The sensor is fitted with temperature sensors, one measures the pipe temperature and the other the ambient temperature. The sensor takes a reading every 3rd second so if there is a water leak cooler water will be drawn into the pipework and the sensor will pick it up. The connected version can detect flushes as the temperature change will be more significant. When a leaking toilet is detected, the sensors trigger an alarm that alerts residents to address the issue promptly by calling the service staff. The technology has been tested by Teknologisk Institut, the leading independent test institute in Denmark.

The solutions also has some health benefits. For example care homes could also monitor occupant’s toilet usage which could be an indication of their health status. In hospitals it can be used to monitor toilet usage and hand washes routines to ensure people are actually washing their hands in proportion to toilet usage. With suitable nudges, Aguardio has seen improvements of hygiene routines.

Cost of the product depends on quantities and whether it is used as a standalone item or connected to the Aguardio Hub, but they typically cost approximately £30-£50 per item. Since a slight toilet leak can result in an additional usage of 100m3 of water per year this could cost in the region of £250 per year. There is no maintenance, and the battery will last in excess of 10 years.

Company name

Aguardio

UK availability

Yes

Date added

Jul, 2023

Links

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Case study

Aguardio has installed these in several locations in Europe, including being used by Denmark’s 4th largest housing company. The company ordered 12,000 sensors to be deployed in stages, with each stages insights informing the next. Based on the installation of 3660 sensors the sensors have proven to be highly effective. The sensors also detected toilet leakages as high as 17%. Find out more about this case study here.

Facts and Figures

£35-£50

Cost per item

10+

Years of battery life

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