Gladstone Regional Council has made the strategic move to implement Taggle Systems‘ advanced water meter infrastructure to secure the region’s water sources for the future.
Gladstone Regional Council has commenced Stage 1 of the whole-of-region, multi-year project by installing nearly 1300 advanced water meters to residential and commercial properties in Agnes Water, Seventeen Seventy, Miriam Vale and Bororen.
“The advanced water meter technology will provide significant benefits to residential households and businesses,” said Gladstone Region Mayor Matt Burnett. “It enables early detection of leaks, offers data and information accessible online for users to monitor and manage their water consumption, and empowers Council officers to respond more effectively to enquiries regarding water connections.”
Why did Council adopt advanced water metering?
“Many councils and water utilities across Australia who have introduced advanced water meter technology have already experienced substantial reductions in water wastage, benefiting the community, the council, and the environment,” said Mayor Burnett.
What are some of the key factors that influenced Gladstone’s decision to adopt Taggle Systems’ Advanced Water Metering?
The sandy soil composition in coastal areas increase the risk of undetected water leaks. The sandy soil makes it harder to detect water loss, however this technology can support residents and Council to quickly detect leaks. The leak detection function in the advanced water meters contributes significantly to water conservation efforts. For these reasons, Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy were chosen for Stage 1 of the project.
Miriam Vale and Bororen have a combined population of less than 1000 people with locality strongly contributing to their inclusion in Stage 1 of the project.
The water source in this area is heavily dependent on rainfall and the Baffle Creek, leading to strict water restrictions for these communities during drought and dry periods.
The opportunity for remote meter reading enhances Council’s ability to manage the water network efficiently.
Improved customer service
Equipping property owners, residents, and commercial properties with water consumption data through a customer portal will enable the Council to create awareness and serve the community more efficiently.
Council can support the community with early leak detection to reduce the impact of high water usage. This will be an improvement on the current process, where potential leaks are identified during six monthly reading cycles.
The customer portal will help residents assess and visualise their own water usage in real-time and they will be able to set their own water alerts to lessen water bill surprises.
Automate billing and property changes
Other goals for Council are to improve on water reading accuracy and improve the asset data of replaced and new meter installations against properties through the automation process and the removal of manual interventions.
Network water losses
The advanced water meter project will allow residents and Council to take a smarter approach to sustainable water management.
The availability of near real-time data will improve Council’s ability to detect water losses in its networks in a timely manner, drive down unaccounted water, and increase overall water security now and into the future.
How will the community be able to access their water consumption data?
“The information will be made available to property owners, tenants and businesses via the MyWater customer portal which will be launched shortly after the installation of the meters,” said Mayor Burnett.
Long-term sustainability
Mayor Burnett emphasised that advanced water metering is one of many actions the Council is taking to enhance water resource management and infrastructure for long-term sustainability.
He added, “This upgrade program is an exciting innovation for our community and will ensure Council can continue to provide a safe, reliable, and cost-effective water supply well into the future.”
For more information, visit www.gladstone.qld.gov.au/advanced-water-meters or www.taggle.com.au.
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