Greystar Adopts Watergate's Tech to Turn The Tide On Water Loss In Their Portfolio

Greystar is rolling out a pioneering new water loss solution to more properties across its portfolio, following the successful piliot scheme of the technology.

The pilot of Watergate’s water leak detection and prevention technology saw Watergate Sonic leak detectors installed across multiple Greystar apartments in London. Greystar, a global real estate giant, is now rolling out Watergate’s solution to more properties across its portfolio, with the first few hundred Watergate systems already being deployed. Greystar is the largest operator of apartments in the United States and a global leader in the investment, development, and management of high-quality rental housing properties.

Every day in the UK 3bn litres of water are leaked according to Water UK – equivalent to 1,180 Olympic swimming pools. United Utilities estimate that 30% or (900 million litres) of Britain’s water leakage takes place ‘beyond the stopcock’ (ie. from customers’ own supply pipes, inside the home, gardens and businesses) – the equivalent of more than 11 million bath loads of water lost every day.  In light of these findings, the water regulator for England and Wales, Ofwat, has said it wants to reduce consumption to 110 litres of water per head per day by 2030, down from about 146 litres per head per day currently. However, the route to this goal will require a combination of solutions to ensure its success. Currently, insurers pay out £16m a day for damage to UK property, split roughly evenly between domestic and commercial property claims. The number one culprit is “escape of water” – water leaks – which account for about as much damage as all fires, explosions and theft combined. 

Watergate is a new AI-driven start-up helping businesses and homeowners prevent costly leaks and reduce their water consumption. Greystar installed its Sonic Smart Stopcock, which alerts to the risk of leaks and can automatically shut off the water supply, preventing potential water damage and costly repairs. Greystar employees and management also use the Watergate companion mobile app and Watergate’s Enterprise Dashboard which allows them to centrally monitor and manage water usage and risks across all locations. 

Mandisa Khabo, Technical Director, International Development and Operations at Greystar commented,

“We’ve been incredibly impressed with Watergate Sonic’s performance and reliability across our pilot and it has already identified and prevented several leaks. It is revolutionising the way I manage and protect our assets and given me peace of mind. The precision of the leak detection is exceptional, capable of identifying even the smallest leaks that would typically go unnoticed until significant damage occurs. 

“Its automatic shut off valve sets it apart from other similar products on the market – the moment a leak is detected, the valve immediately shuts off the water supply, minimising the risk of damage. It also supports our wider ESG commitment to reducing on-site water usage and increasing water efficiency across our operations.” 

Krystian Zajac, Watergate founder and CEO, said, “It’s fantastic to partner with Greystar in protecting their assets and residents. Their decision to deploy Watergate’s technology at scale demonstrates their leadership in sustainability and innovation. Collaborating with Mandisa, a true pioneer and thought leader in the industry, has shown how much can be achieved when leading companies work together on prioritising water safety and conservation. We’re excited to see Greystar joining Watergate’s family of early adopters who understand the urgency of addressing water scarcity and infrastructure resilience. We look forward to expanding our efforts on even more groundbreaking projects together.”

About Greystar 

Greystar is a leading, fully integrated global real estate company offering expertise in property management, investment management, development, and construction services in institutional-quality rental housing, logistics, and life sciences sectors. Headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, Greystar manages and operates more than $300 billion of real estate in 249 markets globally with offices throughout North America, Europe, South America, and the Asia-Pacific region. Greystar is the largest operator of apartments in the United States, manages more than 893,600 units/beds globally, and has a robust institutional investment management platform comprised of more than $78 billion of assets under management, including over $35 billion of development assets. Greystar was founded by Bob Faith in 1993 to become a provider of world-class service in the rental residential real estate business.

About Watergate

Watergate’s mission is to end the era of dumb water by harnessing the power of data and IoT. We’re working with innovative property owners and building managers to protect assets, enhance water quality and mitigate the impacts of water-related damage. The Watergate ecosystem comprises the ‘Sonic Smart Stopcock’ and an associated suite of apps and enterprise software. Our software uses AI to analyse usage patterns across a portfolio, displaying this in an Enterprise Dashboard to enable targeted water conservation strategies via precise sub-metering and management. It also supports water health and ESG compliance by monitoring for the risk of Legionella and maintaining optimal water conditions.