1. South East Water in Victoria, Australia has exceeded 100,000 smart meters with significant benefits such as leak detection and water bill savings.
2. The smart meter rollout aims to replace 1 million traditional water meters by 2029, with over 14,200 customers alerted to leaks on their properties and over $5.2 million in water bill savings.
3. The smart meters have saved over 1.25 billion liters of water by detecting leaks before they surface, and customers can access consumption and billing information online at the hourly level.
South East Water in Victoria, Australia has achieved a milestone of over 100,000 smart water meters installed, out of the planned 1 million by 2029. The new meters have already identified leaks for over 14,200 customers, resulting in savings of AU$5.2 million on water bills. These meters have detected leaks early, preventing the loss of 1.25 billion liters of water. Customers have seen an average savings of $100 on their bills, and can now access consumption and billing information online in real-time.
According to Mark Elvins, the acting general manager of Digital Utility at South East Water, the milestone of nearly 100,000 installed meters is just the beginning, with more work to be done in the future. The new meters are part of a broader digital utility program launched in 2018, with an initial trial involving 30,000 meters. The innovative ‘Sotto’ vibration sensor has been developed by South East Water to enhance leak detection.
The smart water meters initiative is a key part of South East Water’s commitment to customers, community, and the environment as outlined in its Price Submission 2023–28. Despite the progress made, the organization is focused on expanding the digital meter rollout across its entire network in southeast Melbourne. Overall, the program aims to improve customer experience and reduce water wastage through early leak detection.