How Lake Como Utility is reducing Non-Revenue Water ยูทิลิตี้ทะเลสาบโคโมลดน้ำที่สูญเสียรายได้อย่างไร
ประปา
2026
อิตาลี
NRW: ปลดล็อกศักยภาพที่ซ่อนอยู่
A Baseline for Reliable Network Pressure Control
Adapting pressure to consumption patterns is essential to reduce water that is not invoiced to the final user, commonly referred to as Non-Revenue Water (NRW). Reducing this “waste” of water is a key factor in sustainability, especially in an era where water scarcity is increasing and long-term droughts are becoming more frequent.
Lereti S.p.A., the water utility serving Como in Lombardia, Northern Italy, extracts water from Lake Como, pumps it to its Water Treatment Plant, and makes it potable primarily through a multi-step ozone gas treatment process. Once treated, the water is distributed through a network of approximately 350 kilometers of pipelines.
For more than 15 years, Lereti has operated BERMAD 720 pressure reducing valves across its 41 districts, alongside C30 and C70 air valves. These installations have played a key role in maintaining reliable pressure management throughout the network.
Addressing Variable Network Pressure Patterns
Traditionally, one of the most common solutions used by water utilities to adapt pressure to daily consumption trends has been the two-pilot pressure reducing valve, also known as a “night and day valve.” This configuration, exemplified by the BERMAD 720-45, allows the network to operate at a higher pressure during daytime demand (pilot 1) and shift to a lower pressure during nighttime (pilot 2) via a solenoid command.
While this solution has proven to be simple and effective in improving network efficiency, changing consumption patterns and the need for more precise pressure control have driven utilities to seek more advanced and flexible pressure modulation strategies. Lereti identified the need to move beyond fixed pressure setpoints and better adapt downstream pressure to actual demand variations across different districts and time periods.
Full Modulation Control Based on Real-Time Network Data
To move toward a more advanced, dynamic pressure management approach, Lereti connected selected pressure reducing valves, previously operating with a single pressure setpoint, to the DELTA Full Modulation Controller. This controller continuously reads upstream (P1) and downstream (P2) pressures, as well as flowmeter data, and transmits this information to the BERMAD Cloud platform.
Based on detailed analysis of consumption patterns derived from flowmeter data, Lereti defined multiple pressure windows throughout the day for specific districts. Depending on the sector, between two and four time windows were established and remotely programmed on the DELTA cloud platform. As shown in Graph 1, the downstream pressure (P2) closely follows the programmed setpoint (purple line), demonstrating the high level of precision achieved by the controller.
In the current configuration, the controller operates in a simple and robust manner, following fixed time-based downstream pressure setpoints defined manually by the utility, based on prior consumption studies for each sector. At the same time, the DELTA controller offers the flexibility to operate automatically by assigning downstream pressure setpoints to varying flow rates, enabling even more efficient pressure adaptation throughout the day.
The DELTA controller is fully autonomous and battery-operated. Its operational lifespan depends on the frequency of cloud communication, making it a necessity to evaluate each application individually during system design.
Customer satisfaction remains a core value for BERMAD. In this project, Lereti’s Mechanical Plant Manager, Maurizio Facchini, notes:
“The collaboration with BERMAD has evolved beyond commercial aspects into technical cooperation for the design and implementation of the installations, allowing us to achieve excellent results and reach Class A performance for our network.”
This performance is the result of both the technical solution and BERMAD’s ongoing support from selection of the solution through commissioning and follow-up. Product reliability is another key factor, as highlighted by Facchini:
“The long-term partnership with BERMAD ensures operational security and maintenance thanks to the product’s reliability.”
Indeed, the BERMAD 700 Series installed in Como is known for its durability, capable of operating for more than 30 years with minimal maintenance.
Explore the full story and see the solution in action in the complete case study video below
