2 January 2024
Drought resilience and long-term water security will be bolstered when more than 9,000 smart water meters are installed to properties on the reticulated network in Warwick and surrounds from Tuesday 9 January 2024.
The State of Queensland acting through the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water provided grant funding for the installation of smart water meters through the Smart Reticulation and Network Monitoring program to reduce water losses and improve efficiency in the water reticulation networks throughout the Southern Downs region.
Fitted with radio transmitters, the new smart water meters will replace the existing mechanical water meters to help reduce water loss from leaks, improve accuracy of water bills, inform better water use decisions and enhance customer service by providing access to real-time water consumption data.
This $3.5m project for Warwick and surrounds follows the successful roll-out of 2,700 smart water meters to Stanthorpe in October 2022, which identified more than 100 property leaks when the smart meter app went live.
Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi welcomed the next phase of the smart water meter roll-out and said the introduction of the water saving technology added another layer in drought-proofing the region.
“Future droughts are inevitable, and Council is currently delivering multiple drought resilience projects across the region to improve long-term water security,” Mayor Pennisi said.
“Smart water technology is a proactive step forward in modernising our water infrastructure and offers several advantages over traditional meters to bring increased efficiency, accuracy and convenience to monitoring water usage.
“Smart meters will now be installed throughout Warwick, Allora, Yangan, Killarney, Dalveen, Leyburn, Wallangara and Pratten, to provide real-time data on water volumes used and pipe flow rates, and to help Council pinpoint leaks and save water.”
To make sure the project is rolled out seamlessly and with minimal disruption, Council encourages residents to contact Data Right on (07) 4968 3173 to arrange a suitable time for installation if they anticipate that either locked gates or dogs could prevent property access.
Following installation, residents may notice some slight water discolouration and air in water lines, but this is harmless and will dissipate once water has run through the pipes for a short time.
A Council spokesperson confirmed that, in 2023, the smart meter monitoring portal identified that around 3% of Stanthorpe customers had potential leaks on their properties. The total volume lost to leaks was approximately 36,000 kL. Council has sent 478 leakage notifications regarding potential leaks. The average response time to correct the leaks has been 11 days.
Stanthorpe residents with smart meters can now take advantage of the free online MySDRCWater customer portal to monitor their water consumption in real time and set alarms for over-usage or early detection of leaks. Register at: https://mysdrcwater.sdrc.qld.gov.au.
A fact sheet and FAQs on the project are available at https://bit.ly/SmartWaterMeters_SDRC.
For all the latest Council news and information, download the ‘My SDRC’ App or visit www.sdrc.qld.gov.au. Alternatively, call 1300 MY SDRC (1300 697 372) or email mail@sdrc.qld.gov.au.
Last edited date 18 Mar 2024