Runwise, a US-based building controls company, has launched Smart Toilet Monitoring to alert property teams when toilets are left running in multifamily apartment buildings.
A running toilet may not cause flooding, stop working, or prompt a resident complaint. Some leaks are intermittent and may be inactive when maintenance staff visit. The first warning may be an unexpectedly high water bill.
Runwise estimates that a running toilet can add at least $10,000 to annual water costs. In a large residential building, finding it may require checking several floors and arranging access to numerous apartments.
Sensors locate individual running toilets
Smart Toilet Monitoring uses a wireless sensor fitted to each toilet. The device clamps onto the supply line, the pipe that feeds water into the toilet cistern, and alerts the building team when continuous flow is detected.
Staff can then check the affected bathroom rather than searching the entire property. They must still inspect and repair the toilet, but the alert tells them where to start.
Runwise says each sensor takes less than a minute to install. No pipe cutting, plumbing work or water shut-off is required.
Product builds on earlier water monitoring
Before launching the new product, Runwise offered water monitoring. In 2024, it described battery-powered wireless sensors attached to water risers, the vertical pipes that carry water between floors.
The sensors monitored water flow and sent an alert when they detected a possible leak or a running toilet. Notifications reached property teams via the Runwise mobile app, email and text message.
Runwise said the sensors could operate for up to 10 years and did not require pipe cutting, electrical work or an interruption to the water supply. The new product places a sensor on each toilet supply line, enabling the alert to identify the specific toilet.
Water monitoring joins Runwise controls platform
Runwise utilises a unified wireless network to connect various building services, including heating control and leak detection. Smart Toilet Monitoring tracks each toilet individually and is accessible to both existing and new customers.
The product page claims the system can reduce a building’s water bill by 22%, while a separate Runwise FAQ reports an average reduction of 17%. Savings will vary depending on the number of running toilets, the volume of water lost and the time taken to complete repairs.
Runwise introduced the product at an event in New York, attended by more than 150 customers and partners. The company presented it alongside its heating controls as part of the same building monitoring platform.
