Smart Retrofitting of Mechanical Water Meters Using Image Processing and IoT Approach

With the worsening global water crisis, intelligent and accurate monitoring of consumer usage has become a vital component of sustainable water resource management. This paper presents a smart system designed to enhance the functionality of existing mechanical water meters by leveraging imaging technology and wireless communication. The proposed device periodically captures images of the meter's dial using a camera module and transmits them—either directly or via a local hub in multi-unit buildings—to a central server. The images are then processed using image processing algorithms to extract the consumption data. The system is based on an Internet of Things (IoT) architecture and is supported by dedicated software platforms for service providers and consumers to monitor and manage consumption data. Key advantages include the elimination of manual readings, support for volumetric pricing, anomaly detection, and alignment with smart city development goals. This solution offers a scalable and cost-effective approach to digitizing legacy water infrastructure.