DIGITAL WATER METER STAFF TRIAL FACT SHEET The key objective of this trial is to better understand the value of digital water metering technology for our customers now and in the future.
The learnings from the staff trial will inform a broader customer trial involving about 1,500 properties in the Vermont South area.
This fact sheet should answer some of the questions you may have about the trial.
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Yarra Valley Water is upgrading water meters with digital technology at about 55 properties of staff who have volunteered to participate in our broader Digital Water Meter Staff Trial.
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW Every property has a water meter – a device that tracks the volume of water being supplied to that property from the water pipe out in the street. Without water meters, we wouldn’t know how much water a property was using, and we wouldn’t be able to accurately bill people for the water they’re using. Water meters are usually located in the front yard of the property. For most customers, a Yarra Valley Water meter reader physically visits the property every three months to take a water meter reading.
This reading is compared to the previous water meter reading, and the difference is used to calculate the next water bill. Water meters last for around 15 years. After this time, the mechanical components within the water meter can start slowing down, meaning water meter readings are tracking slightly less water being used than the property is actually using. Yarra Valley Water replaces water meters every 15 years, as part of an ongoing maintenance program.
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YOUR PROPERTY HAS A WATER METER
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW DO DIGITAL WATER METERS WORK?
With Melbourne’s population set to double and scientists predicting more extreme droughts in the future, we need to find new ways to improve our water network and work better.
Similar to how mobile phones send data, digital water meters link to telecommunications networks to relay water meter readings to our secure data centre.
Yarra Valley Water is working together with the other metropolitan Melbourne water utilities, City West Water and South East Water, to explore upgrading existing water meters to digital water meters to help us manage our water even more sustainably.
By increasing the number of digital water meters in our water network we will have greater information available to help us more efficiently manage our water supply now and in the future.
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UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE OF DIGITAL WATER METERS
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW Because digital water meters can collect and relay information quickly, they’re able to provide daily information about: Your water use, enabling you to be more aware of how much water you’re using. Possible water leaks on your property through a leak alert, so you can take action quickly if needed to save water and avoid potentially high bills.
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WHAT IS THE BENEFIT FOR CUSTOMERS?
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW Each property participating in the trial will have its existing water meter replaced with a Yarra Valley Water-developed digital water meter. Water meter upgrades will occur over a week from late June 2020, and it will be replacing your existing water meter permanently. The trial will run until earlymid 2021, and over that time Yarra Valley Water will be monitoring the results to understand the benefits of a wider digital meter upgrade program.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO Yarra Valley Water has engaged a contractor, New Plumbing Solutions, to upgrade water meters for this staff trial. On the day, you do not need to be home for the water meter to be upgraded. Just in case you are home, New Plumbing Solutions will knock and let you know they have arrived before starting upgrading your water meter. It will take around 10 to 15 minutes for New Plumbing Solutions to upgrade your water meter and we will need to turn the water off to your property during the upgrade. It’s as simple as that. When your water has been turned back on, you may briefly notice your water bubbling as it comes out of the tap. This is due to air entering your water pipe during the water meter upgrade. It’ll only take a moment for all the air to clear and your water supply to return to normal.
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TRIALLING DIGITAL METERS WITH A STAFF TRIAL
THE PROCESS EXPLAINED
EXISTING WATER METER SETUP
DIGITAL WATER METER TRIAL
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F S S
Water meters are upgraded with new technology.
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NEW DIGITAL WATER METER SETUP
DIGITAL WATER METER TRIAL
UPGRADING THE WATER METER Our contractor replaces your existing water meter with a digital water meter. You don’t need to be home. The upgrade takes about 10-15 minutes to do, during which time the property’s water supply is temporarily shut off. You may briefly notice air bubbles when your water supply is turned back on. It’ll return to normal after a moment.
NEW DIGITAL WATER METER SETUP Once a day, the digital water meter sends your property’s water use data back to Yarra Valley Water.
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BENEFITS OF HAVING A DIGITAL WATER METER See your daily water use online to help you manage your water use, and save money and reduce water wastage by identifying possible leaks on your property.
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BENEFITS OF HAVING A DIGITAL WATER METER
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A Yarra Valley Water meter reader physically visits a property every 3 months to take a water meter reading. This reading is compared to the previous water meter reading, and the difference is used to calculate the next water bill.
UPGRADING THE WATER METER
EXISTING WATER METER SETUP
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW It won’t cost you anything to have your water meter upgraded. Our meter readers will continue to manually read water meters every three months, and water bills will be sent out as normal.
SEE YOUR WATER USE
With our Daily Drop mobile app, you’ll be able to see your daily water use online, to help you manage your water use. We’ll provide you with details about how to get Daily Drop when your meter is upgraded.
SECURING YOUR PRIVACY
We take your privacy very seriously, and will be managing your information in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014. No personal information is stored on the digital water meter itself.
NO SAFETY IMPACTS
The data sent from digital water meters uses low level radiofrequency (RF) waves, a form of electromagnetic energy present all around us from natural and man-made sources. We’re using communications technologies that are well within the Australian safety standards and likely to produce much less RF emissions than that produced by a mobile phone or baby monitor.
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NO COST TO YOU
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW CAN I GIVE FEEDBACK DURING THE STAFF TRIAL? An important part of this trial is for us to understand the experience for our customers and to design our processes with the customer at the centre. As a participant in this staff trial we will be relying on you to provide us with honest feedback so we can achieve this. After your meter has been upgraded, we’ll be checking in with you from time to time to get your feedback on how things are going.
WANT TO KNOW MORE? Information about the trial is available online at our Digital Metering homepage on the Source. Please take some time to have a look, and if you have questions or additional feedback, contact Ros Pereira on 9872 2412 or by email ros.pereira@yvw.com.au.
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