SABESP Partners With Vivo and IDEMIA to Connect 4.4 Million Smart Water Meters in Brazil
Brazil’s water and sanitation company SABESP has partnered with Telefonica/Vivo and IDEMIA Secure Transactions (IST) to deploy a large-scale IoT-based smart water management network across São Paulo.
Under the 14-year strategic partnership, around 4.4 million smart water meters will be connected in São Paulo City and São José dos Campos. The initiative is aimed at improving water distribution, identifying leaks more quickly and helping consumers monitor their water usage.
The companies describe the initiative as the world’s largest IoT connectivity project for smart water management, marking a major deployment of connected infrastructure in Brazil.
IoT Technology to Improve Water Management
The project will combine Vivo’s telecommunications and IoT connectivity capabilities with IDEMIA Secure Transactions’ eSIM technology and IoT platform.
According to the companies, the connected smart meters will provide more frequent and accurate information on water consumption, enabling SABESP to monitor its distribution network more closely and identify unusual consumption patterns and leaks.
The connectivity infrastructure is designed to support reliable and energy-efficient operations, including in remote areas.
IDEMIA Secure Transactions said its eSIM technology is compliant with the GSMA SGP.32 standard and incorporates cryptographic capabilities designed to support future security requirements.
Smart Meters to Help Detect Water Leaks
A key objective of the initiative is to reduce water losses through faster detection of leaks.
Smart meters will provide visibility into hourly water consumption, allowing SABESP and customers to identify consumption anomalies and potential leaks more quickly.
Denis Maia, Executive Director of Customers and Technology at SABESP, said smart metering would provide greater visibility into consumption and help improve the efficiency of the company's water distribution network.
The initiative is also expected to support SABESP's efforts to promote more responsible water consumption and modernize sanitation services.
Consumers to Get Greater Visibility Into Water Usage
Beyond improving utility operations, the connected infrastructure is expected to give customers better access to information about their water consumption.
More detailed consumption data could help consumers identify unusual usage patterns and make more informed decisions about water conservation.
Luiz Renato Fraga Rios, Revenue Protection Director at SABESP, said the company's objective is to enable customers to take a more active role in managing their water consumption.
According to Rios, faster identification and repair of leaks occurring after meters could help prevent significant volumes of water from being wasted.
Vivo Brings Connectivity and IoT Expertise
Vivo will provide connectivity and IoT capabilities for the project, supporting the deployment and operation of the large-scale smart metering network.
Adriano Pereira, Director of IoT and B2B Innovation at Vivo, said the company's role extends beyond connectivity and includes IoT infrastructure, data integration, solution design and operational execution.
The company said the project demonstrates how connected technology can be applied to essential public services to improve efficiency and generate environmental benefits.
IDEMIA Provides Secure eSIM Technology
IDEMIA Secure Transactions will contribute its eSIM technology and IoT platform to support secure connectivity for the smart water meters.
Diego Cecchinato, SVP Connectivity Services LATAM at IDEMIA Secure Transactions, said the partnership with SABESP and Vivo demonstrates how technology and sustainability can be combined to modernize critical infrastructure and improve resource management.
The project brings together telecommunications connectivity, IoT technology and smart metering to create a connected infrastructure network for water management in Brazil.
A Major IoT Deployment for Essential Infrastructure
The partnership highlights the growing role of IoT in modernizing essential public services.
By connecting millions of water meters, SABESP aims to improve consumption monitoring, strengthen leak detection and increase efficiency across its distribution network.
The companies said the project could also serve as a model for utilities and cities looking to use connected technologies to modernize infrastructure while addressing environmental and resource-management challenges.
