IC card water meter is a new type of water meter that combines microelectronics technology, sensor technology and IC card technology. It operates in a mode where users purchase water resources and store the purchase information in the IC card. Then, the user inputs the information from the IC card into the water meter, and only then will the water meter open the valve to supply water.

1. Prepaid model:

   For water suppliers: It completely resolves the problems of difficult collection and water fee arrears, significantly improving cash flow.

   For users: Water consumption is clear and transparent, facilitating water usage planning.

2. No need for on-site meter reading: It saves a considerable amount of human, material and time costs for water supply departments.
3. Intuitive usage: Users can complete payment through a simple card swipe operation, and remaining water volume and other information can usually be directly viewed on the water meter screen.
4. Certain management functions: It can calculate tiered water prices and has the means to forcibly shut off valves for users in arrears.

• Prepaid Management: Purchase water first and then use it to avoid arrears.
• Tiered Pricing: Supports time-based or tiered water prices to encourage water conservation.
• LCD Display: Real-time display of remaining water volume, cumulative usage, and other data.
• Tamper-proof Design: Special IC card encryption to prevent illegal operations.
• Remote Control (for some models): Supports remote meter reading or valve control (requires a management system).

• Old residential areas undergoing renovation, where there is a need for effective management of the charging model.
• Places with complex water usage management and charging systems, such as rental apartments, university dormitories, and construction sites.
• Areas with poor network coverage or where the construction of a remote meter reading system is not yet considered.

IC card water meters represent a significant milestone in the evolution of smart water meters. They have successfully transformed the traditional "use water first, pay later" model into a "pay first, use water later" one, solving the most critical billing problem for water supply enterprises. With the popularization of Internet of Things (IoT) technology and the increasing demand for convenience from users, IoT water meters that do not require manual operation, support online payment, and enable remote management are becoming the new mainstream trend. Although IC card water meters are still widely used, their "card insertion for recharging" method is gradually revealing its limitations of the times.