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Thorigné-Fouillard andMontrouge, France, April 23, 2020: Partnering to deliver running water to homes in developing countries, Kerlink (AKLK – FR0013156007), a specialist in solutions dedicated to the Internet of Things (IoT), and CityTaps, a French company with a mission to increase access to running water in third-world countries, have installed a pilot project to help Kenyans receive, monitor and pay for water use.
The pilot project is financed by a program of the French treasury directorate general (Trésor DG) called FASEP. Designed primarily for French SMEs that aspire to expand internationally, FASEP awards grants to finance feasibility studies or pilot projects for green and innovative technologies. The grants allow companies to demonstrate the effectiveness of their methods and establish a base in their partner countries.
The network combines Kerlink’s Wirnet iBTS outdoor gateways and CityTaps’ CTSuite of smart prepaid water meters and software of existing mobile payment systems. The LoRaWAN® IoT-based network enables users to measure and manage their water consumption and make scheduled payments to the water-supply utility,MAWASCO, in the Watamu region of Kenya. In addition to eliminating overdue bills, CityTaps’ grant will help reduce water loss and leakage in Watamu.
“In Kenya, 41 percent of the population does not have access to running water,” said Grégoire Landel, CEO and founder of CityTaps. “This grant will pay for the installation of CityTaps’ CTSuite in many homes in Watamu with the support from Kerlink. Kerlink is a strong partner for this project because it has extensive experience deploying IoT networks around the world, including in Africa”.
“An important feature of this project will enable people with irregular incomes who cannot afford monthly bills to have access to affordable, quality water by staying connected to the water company’s network and making payments when they can,” Landel continued. “It will allow customers to pre-pay for their water consumption by crediting a water account at any time, with any mobile phone and for any amount. This helps water utilities to recover arrears and avoid losses, which encourages financiers to invest in the extension of water networks.”
“Together, Kerlink and CityTaps are contributing to the health and quality of life in Kenya’s Watamu region, demonstrating again how LoRaWAN® IoT networks can considerably improve conditions for people around the world,” said Romain Weryk, Kerlink’s key account manager. “Powered by Kerlink’s Wirnet iBTS outdoor gateways, CityTaps’ tailored solution delivers radio communication between the water meters and the software platform, bringing smart metering to this developing country region.”
Kerlink earlier this year announced its involvement in a UN pilot program for reservoir monitoring in Uganda and Iraq, which also incorporates Kerlink’s carrier-grade LoRaWAN® gateway technology.
CityTaps received the FASEP grant to support its vision to bring running water to every home in Kenya, in pursuit of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG6, which supports access to water and sanitation around the world.
About Kerlink
Kerlink Group is a leading global provider of connectivity solutions for designing, launching, and operating public & private Internet of Things networks. Its comprehensive product portfolio includes industrial-grade network equipment, best-of-breed network core, operations and management software, value-added applications and expert professional services, backed by strong R&D capabilities. Kerlink specializes in enabling future-proof intelligent IoT connectivity for key verticals such as fleet management, transportation & logistics, retail, asset tracking, and smart metering, as well as smart agriculture & environment, and smart cities, buildings, and factories. More than 120,000 Kerlink installations have been rolled out with more than 330 clients in 69 countries. Based in France, with subsidiaries in the US, Singapore, India, and Japan, Kerlink is a founding and board member of the LoRa Alliance™ and the uCIFI Alliance™. It is listed on Euronext Growth Paris under the symbol ALKLK.
For more information, visit www.kerlink.com or follow us on Twitter @kerlink_news.
About CityTaps
CityTaps was established in 2015 to help bring running water to the homes of 1 billion urban people who live without running water in their homes. The company’s CTSuite combines a smart and prepaid water meter and software with existing mobile payment systems, which enables equipped homes to measure water use and manage their consumption. Visit www.citytaps.org.