Water Intel. Regulatory News (WATR)

20 Dec 2007 07:00

Qonnectis plc20 December 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 20 December 2007 Qonnectis plc Commercial Launch of Leakfrog - domestic water leakage monitoring device Qonnectis plc ("Qonnectis" or "the Company") is officially launching Leakfrog,its innovative product for detecting and measuring domestic water leaks. Thisfollows Thames Water ("Thames") and Qonnectis agreeing a licence arrangementwith respect to Thames' 50% interest in the Leakfrog intellectual propertywhich will allow the Company to market Leakfrog nationally and internationally. Developed in partnership with Thames, and currently being rolled out by Thamesas part of its Victorian Mains Renewal programme, Leakfrog allows watercompanies, for the first time, to monitor their domestic customers' homes forwater leaks, using highly cost-effective and unique technology. Leakfrog's main features include: - Enabling water companies to widely monitor for "customer-side leakage" for the first time; - Constant monitoring of homes for water leakage and wastage; - Detecting and indicating the presence of leaks; - Indicating exact magnitude of leak; - Ease of integration with utilities' existing meter reading systems; - Cost-effective, facilitating volume installations in homes; Amongst Leakfrog's value-add benefits to water utilities and their customers isthe ability to: - Reduce water losses; - Reduce subsequent damage to buildings; - Accurately provide complete data for leakage levels all the way to customer use point; - Enable water companies to improve efficiency and, for example, reduce the need to develop new water sources or reservoirs; and - Benefit the environment in terms of preserving a precious natural resource Commenting on the launch of Leakfrog, Michael Tapia, Qonnectis' Chief Executive,said: "Having undergone extensive tests and now volume adoption by Thames Water,Leakfrog is proven in the field. We are now looking to target all the other UKwater companies, as well as overseas companies, with the aim of large volumethroughout the water industry. Water is the world's most precious naturalresource and its supply is increasingly under threat. As the need for waterconservation becomes increasingly recognised we expect Leakfrog to have a majorbeneficial effect on water supply efficiency and Qonnectis' sales." For further information, please contact: Qonnectis plcMichael Tapia, Chief Executive 01932 788299 HB CorporateEdward Hutton 020 7510 8600 Bankside ConsultantsSue Scott/Louise Davis 020 7367 8888 Editors' notes - About Qonnectis Qonnectis' patented technologies enable the analysis of remote meter data to facilitate water leakage control, customer profiling, and energy and watermanagement efficiency. Its products are already being used by a wide range of UKand overseas utilities as well as large commercial and domestic users of energyor water. The iStaq family of products work by sending meter readings to Qonnectis' securedata centre via SMS text messaging over the GSM network. The data is thenaggregated and published online via utility-branded 'myMeter' websites operatedby Qonnectis. The data can also be sent directly to utilities' billings systems.Customers can access real-time information via a web browser using the 'myMeter'service. For more information, please visit www.qonnectis.com. ENDS This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange