Who stands behind Smart Valve™?
Smart Valve™ brings together a patented American-made product and an established water-savings team. Flow Dynamics manufactures the valve and holds its patents. American Water Savings (AWS), its exclusive U.S. partner, brings that technology to commercial properties as part of ONIT—a North American family of energy and water businesses.
Perfect Water Valve connects you with that team and helps coordinate your project and professional installation. You have a clear point of contact, an experienced program partner, and the manufacturer behind the product.
In 2019, the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station tested Smart Valve™ for effects on flow, pressure spikes and air-bubble volume. The results documented measurable effects under the tested conditions; customer bill savings are measured separately.
Sources: Flow Dynamics | American Water Savings | Texas A&M test report
NSF 61 and 372 certification addresses materials used in drinking-water systems; it is not a savings claim.
What changes in the water system?
Smart Valve™ is a mechanical device installed after the water meter on the customer side. It helps keep entrained air compressed as it passes through the meter and also dampens flow fluctuations and pressure surges. Its adjustable setting is matched to the building's water service.
It compresses air; it does not remove it. Effects depend on the water system and valve setting.
Source: The Smart Valve
See what happens at the meter
The animation follows water and the air carried with it through a typical service line. When pressure falls, air bubbles can expand before the meter measures them. Installed after the meter, Smart Valve™ holds calibrated back pressure so those bubbles stay smaller as they are measured. It also helps smooth pressure surges. The setting is adjusted to the property's water system.
This illustrates the operating principle; pressure effects and savings depend on the site and valve setting.
Read Summary
Summary: Smart Valve™ is installed after the water meter on the customer's side. It helps keep entrained air compressed through the meter and moderates pressure and flow fluctuations. The device does not remove air or treat water. The planned installation shutdown is confirmed with the site; later external adjustments can be made without a shutdown. AWS may offer a 15% minimum savings guarantee only for qualifying projects under a written performance agreement. Published results vary by site and measurement period.
What about our water pressure?
Reliable water service comes first—whether your property is a hotel, a hospital, an apartment building or an industrial facility. The valve is adjusted to the building's pressure, flow and equipment requirements, with the aim of achieving savings while preserving the service people depend on.
The pressure change is not a fixed number for every property. It depends on incoming pressure, demand and the chosen setting. Suitability and required flow should be checked with the property's facilities team, especially where equipment has critical water requirements.
AWS describes its calibration approach this way: “Backpressure is dialed only as far as the system tolerates with no noticeable downstream drop.” That is the aim of site-specific adjustment, not a universal guarantee that pressure will remain unchanged.
The Adjustment Process
- Planned initial shutdown for professional installation. (Mechanical device, no electricity, no routine maintenance.)
- AWS is willing to perform two follow-up checks to review performance and fine-tune the valve for the best savings the system can support. Adjustments are made externally while water keeps running; the visit schedule is agreed for each project.
Installed on suitable domestic water service—not fire-suppression lines. It does not replace a required pressure regulator.
Source: FAQs
Explore what matters to your property
AWS reports average savings just above 22% across its North American projects. Individual results vary.
Explore selected customer results and published case studies for project-specific measurement methods, periods, and conditions.