EDM Fact Sheet - Commercial YVW

DIGITAL WATER METER TRIAL FACT SHEET

FOR BUSINESS CUSTOMERS Yarra Valley Water is upgrading water meters with new technology for about 1,500 properties in the Vermont South area, to better understand the value of digital water metering technology for our customers.

This fact sheet should answer some of the questions you may have about the trial in Vermont South.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW YOUR PROPERTY HAS A WATER METER 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.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE OF DIGITAL WATER METERS

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.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT IS THE BENEFIT FOR CUSTOMERS? Because digital water meters can collect and relay data quickly, they’re able to provide daily information about how much water you’re using.

This helps us to find possible water leaks on your property. We can send a leak alert so action can be taken quickly if needed to save water and avoid potentially high bills.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW TRIALLING DIGITAL WATER METERS IN THE VERMONT SOUTH AREA The first phase of our trial started in August 2019, when we upgraded water meters for about 800 properties in the Vermont South area.

Your property is part of the second phase of our trial, in which each of about 650 properties, including your business, will have their existing water meters either replaced with a digital water meter or will have a digital device plugged into a mechanical water meter.

All water meters will be upgraded over the coming month, and will be replacing existing water meters permanently. Yarra Valley Water will then be monitoring the results to understand the benefits of a wider digital meter upgrade program.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO DO Yarra Valley Water has engaged a contractor, New Plumbing Solutions, to upgrade water meters for this trial.

We’ll need to turn the water off to your property for the 10 to 15 minutes it takes to upgrade your water meter.

We know that even a brief water outage can affect your business.

To avoid turning off your water when you need it most, someone from New Plumbing Solutions will contact you shortly to book a time for the upgrade that suits you the best. Or, you could call them first on 8692 6191.

On the day, you don’t need to be present for the water meter to be upgraded. Just in case you are present, New Plumbing Solutions will let you know they’ve arrived before starting upgrading your water meter.

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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EXISTING WATER METER SETUP

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Water meters will be upgraded with new technology over a month. Our contractor will contact you to book a time for your upgrade that suits you the best.

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BENEFITS OF HAVING A DIGITAL WATER METER

You may briefly notice air bubbles when your water supply is turned back on.

It’ll return to normal after a moment.

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

UPGRADING THE WATER METER Our contractor replaces your existing water meter with a digital water meter.

You don’t need to be present.

The upgrade takes about 10-15 minutes to do, during which time the property’s water supply is temporarily shut off.

Once a day, the digital water meter sends your property’s water use data back to Yarra Valley Water.

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NEW DIGITAL WATER METER SETUP

BENEFITS OF HAVING A DIGITAL WATER METER Save water and avoid potentially high bills by identifying possible water leaks on your property.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW NO COST TO YOU

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.

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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DIGITAL WATER METER TRIAL AREA MOORE

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THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW WANT TO KNOW MORE? Information about the trial and the digital water meter is available online at yvw.com.au/digitalmeters.

If you have questions please call us on 1300 164 844 or email digitalmeters@yvw.com.au.