The meters connect to a network that enables Unitywater to alert customers with unusually high water usage to check for leaks on their property and take action to repair them.
Unitywater Executive Manager Customer Delivery Rhett Duncan said the program had been so successful, the utility was planning a further rollout to more customers.
“Our Digital Metering Program has been a huge success for our customers impacted by leaks and we’re keen to expand to further suburbs,” Mr Duncan said.
“The technology is simple but effective, with huge benefits to our communities. That’s $3.8 million that would have otherwise been on customers’ bills.”
Mr Duncan said it was important customers checked for leaks regularly, to avoid bill shock.
“With our Digital Metering Program alone, we have detected 3,900 water leaks, demonstrating how common leaks can be,” he said.
“Identifying leaks early is better for our customers’ bank balances and the environment.”
Digital water meters help identify hidden leaks as they record a water usage reading every 15 minutes and transmit the data to Unitywater daily via a digital communication network. Unitywater can quickly notify customers where a hidden leak is suspected.
Maroochydore resident Heather Coey was away on holidays when Unitywater called to say her digital meter was recording continuous water usage on her property.
“We were very happy to get the phone call and we were glad we had a neighbour who could go straight over and check (our house). He realised immediately the downstairs toilet was left flushing,” she said.
Without a digital meter alerting her to the situation, the constantly flushing toilet would have cost Heather an extra $54 a day on her next water bill, giving new meaning to the post-holiday blues.
“I think a lot of us are very conscious of our water usage but I had no idea it would waste that much money,” Heather said.
“It’s such a great benefit to have a digital meter, particularly if you have young kids who might leave a tap on. I think there will be enormous benefits for families.
“I had a friend who went away for a couple of months and came back to a flooded, stinking laundry full of mould. There was no technology in those days to know if anything was wrong back at home.”
For more information visit our Digital Metering Program page.
