New Israeli tech prevents terror attack and water theft
The innovative start-up Hydrantech has launched an electric bracelet that can be attached to the nozzle of a fire hydrant to detect theft and terror.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFgirl plays in water from fire hydrant(photo credit: AP)
Hydrantech has found an innovative way to detect unusual water flows.Dovik Barkay recalls that a few years ago in Safed, “someone stole some gasoline, but the police caught up to him. He couldn’t just throw the gasoline away on the street – it would smell – so he found a hydrant and poured the gasoline inside. For three months, people in Safed couldn’t drink the water,” he told Israel21c.Barkay's innovative tech addresses that exact problem: How can we monitor water flows so as to prevent water theft and terror attacks that would involve poisoning water?He recently launched Hydrantech, a startup, based in northern Israel's Ramat Yishay.Brakay has degrees in law, industrial engineering and medical device development. This is not his first attempt at developing water-tech, but Hydrantech is based on a very innovative idea. Hydrantech has developed a smart, electronic bracelet that can be attached to the nozzle of a fire hydrant to monitor water coming in and outt. Each Hydrantech bracelet has a cellular transmitter that communicates its status to a central control hub. The sensors in the bracelet can "feel" the flow of water, and data is sent to the Hydrantech cloud where software interprets whether water is moving out or in. The Hydrantech interface runs on a regular web browser; if there's any problem, an alarm will appear in the browser and on mobile devices.The technology will therefore warn a city's authorities in real time if the water presents any security issues – whether it is because water is potentially being stolen or because there's a possibility that the water has been poisoned.Hydrantech technology has already been launched in different Israeli municipalities, including Haifa, Petah Tikva, Safed, Rosh Ha’ayin and Tel Aviv. The fee of about $3 per hydrant covers the bracelet, the monitoring software, cellular service, battery changes and software upgrades.Today, Hydrantech has raised about $1 million with private investors and is currently raising more funds. The company already employs seven people, and with little competition in the market, it is expected to grow even more in the next few years.AdvertisementHydrantech has many plans for the future, including developing the technology so it can also detect underground water leakage, measure temperature and humidity, and even provide data about earthquakes.Israel is an expert in water tech. Every year, thousands from all around the world come to the country’s annual Watec conference, where hundreds of companies display world-changing, water-related technologies.
