Design and Implementation of an Integrated IOT Framework for Automated Water Auditing, Leak Detection, and Tiered Billing in Commercial Infrastructure

Water mismanagement in commercial infrastructure—including office buildings, hotels, and shopping complexes—results in significant financial losses and environmental waste. Traditional methods relying on manual meter reading and reactive maintenance are inadequate for detecting silent leaks or enforcing equitable billing among tenants. This paper presents the design and implementation of an integrated Internet of Things (IoT) framework aimed at automating water auditing, leak detection, and tiered billing processes. The proposed system architecture comprises a network of smart sensor nodes equipped with ultrasonic flow meters and pressure transducers, connected via LPWAN protocols to a centralized cloud platform. By leveraging edge computing for real-time anomaly detection and cloud-based analytics for consumption pattern recognition, the framework achieves three primary objectives: (1) granular, automated water auditing across different zones (HVAC, restrooms, tenant spaces); (2) instantaneous identification of leaks and pipe bursts through pressure-drop analysis; and (3) dynamic calculation of tenant bills based on tiered pricing structures. A prototype implementation demonstrates a significant reduction in unaccounted water loss and high accuracy in volumetric billing. This integrated approach offers facility managers a scalable tool for resource conservation and operational efficiency.