demand management • Climatic seasonal changes;
level of accuracy. The main issue appears to be the way data from the various sources is managed.
• The impact of a dust storm which was considered to be an extreme event and unusual for Sydney;
Cost
• Power outages due to interruptions to energy supplies; • Technical failures and adjustments; • Human error and interactions with the technology such as the IHD being switched off before the end of the trial. Tailored and effective solutions to these variables were implemented wherever possible to ensure that the data was as robust and valid as possible. Various comparisons between the Westleigh bulk flow meter data and AMR data were carried out in an effort to directly measure network leakage in a specific supply zone. Discrepancies between the data sources were identified. Meter accuracy does not appear to be a significant factor. It is considered highly unlikely that collective over-registration of the customer meters is the cause of the discrepancies.
water-efficient in an affordable manner. At this stage smart metering is costly and there are limitations to the current technology.
The cost associated with smart metering is currently very high. The cost per property was around $650 (for equipment) and $1,650 inclusive of all costs. These high costs can partly be attributed to the development, implementation and customisation costs associated with a research project of this nature. It has been estimated that in five years the cost would come down by almost half. This cost is based on a water meter with integrated smarts. It takes into account advancements in the technology, a better understanding of the system set-up and the improved efficiency and capability.
Future advancements in technology might see an integrated multi-utility smart meter for which there may be significant cost reductions.
Conclusions
Corinna Doolan (email: corinna. doolan@sydneywater.com.au) is Project Manager in the Water and Energy Futures Team within Science & Technology, Sustainability Division of Sydney Water.
Smart metering has proven that residential water reductions can be achieved and sustained through behavioural change. It is an effective tool in detecting household leakage as well as providing detailed data for minimum night flow calculations.
Similarly, the Westleigh flowmeter has been independently calibrated and found to be functioning within an acceptable
refereed paper
The challenge will be to use smart metering to assist customers in being
This paper was originally presented at the AWA Water Efficiency Conference, March 2011.
The Author
references 1. Wetherall B, 2008: South East Water. Final Report of the Eco-Pioneer Pilot Program.
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