Hyderabad: The HMWS&SB is considering the feasibility of converting 1,000 valves into solar-powered, automated smart valves, increasing the efficiency of water supply to households.Currently, the water board’s linemen have to manually open or shut the valves to release water to households. The smart valves could be controlled by a mobile app or from the HMWS&SB dashboard set up at its head office in Khairatabad.According to HMWS&SB records, there are 15,000 valves under its jurisdiction, including both small and large ones. Of these, only 35 per cent are operated regularly.“A pilot project in Sanathnagar was a success. So we have proposed converting 1,000 valves into smart valves,” an HMWS&SB official. “In the future, we will also link billing details to the smart valves,” he added.Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, water board managing director K. Ashok Reddy said that the smart valves will modernise the water distribution system and will also be of great use to linemen.Inquiries by this correspondent revealed that the linemen are hesitant to operate valves located in the middle of some roads because of speeding vehicles, which could endanger their lives. If the water board installs ‘smart valve technology’, it will eliminate risks and also prevent wastage of water.Apart from remote operation, each valve will have a smart meter attached to it. The meter will indicate the amount of water released to households, its quality, and wastage. The meters are installed adjacent to the valves, near the corners of roads.“The amount of residual chlorine in the drinking water is also recorded by the meters attached to these valves,” said an HMWS&SB official.