DIGITAL WATER METER FACT SHEET 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 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.
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 yours, 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. It will take around 10 to 15 minutes for New Plumbing Solutions to upgrade your water meter, however your water supply will not be affected. On the day, you don’t need to be home for the water meter to be upgraded. Just in case you are home, New Plumbing Solutions will let you know they’ve arrived before starting upgrading your water meter.
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THE PROCESS EXPLAINED
EXISTING WATER METER SETUP
DIGITAL WATER METER TRIAL
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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 2
BENEFITS OF HAVING A DIGITAL WATER METER
NEW DIGITAL WATER METER SETUP
DIGITAL WATER METER TRIAL Water meters will be upgraded with new technology over a month.
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EXISTING WATER METER SETUP
UPGRADING THE WATER METER It will take about 10-15 minutes for our contractor to upgrade your existing water meter. Your water supply will not be affected, and you don’t need to be home.
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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 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.
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.
SEE YOUR WATER USE
With our Daily Drop online portal, 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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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, or to get SMS and email notifications for this trial, please call us on 1300 164 844 or email digitalmeters@yvw.com.au to make sure we have your latest mobile number and email address.
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