How digital water metering is reshaping Australian utilities

Digital water metering is transforming how Australian utilities manage water loss, asset maintenance and customer engagement.

Australia’s water sector is undergoing a fundamental shift. Climate variability, population growth and aging infrastructure are driving demand for more resilient, efficient and customer-focused solutions. In this environment, digital water metering is fast emerging as one of the most powerful tools in a utility’s arsenal—delivering benefits from the ground up.

With a growing need to meet long-term water security goals while decreasing costs, digital metering provides utilities with precise, near-real-time consumption data. This intelligence can detect leaks, reduce non-revenue water, empower customers and inform smarter infrastructure investment. As the industry transitions toward a more data-driven operating model, digital meters enable water providers to make decisions grounded in visibility and control.

A smarter approach to water asset management

Unlike traditional analogue meters, digital water meters automatically transmit usage data at frequent intervals without manual reads. These readings give utilities timely insights into abnormal consumption patterns, allowing them to flag issues like pipe bursts, concealed leaks or unoccupied properties consuming water.

More importantly, the shift to digital metering supports utilities in meeting sustainability goals and compliance obligations. By reducing water loss and encouraging behaviour change among consumers, digital meters contribute directly to per capita consumption targets and broader climate resilience strategies.

One company accelerating this transformation is Intellihub, an innovative utility infrastructure provider known for its leadership in the energy sector. Intellihub’s expansion into digital water metering brings a proven track record of delivering managed smart meter services across complex networks. Its end-to-end water metering solutions offer utilities a scalable, vendor-agnostic service model with annuity-style pricing, helping providers shift from capital-heavy deployments to performance-based services with no upfront meter cost.

Lessons from the UK: funding innovation through outcomes

International experience supports the case for digital metering in Australia. In the United Kingdom, water utilities such as Southern Water are deploying large-scale smart water meter programs as part of national efforts to improve water efficiency and manage supply under climate stress. Their Water Resources Management Plan 2024 includes over one million smart meter installations, aiming to increase metering coverage to 70 per cent by 2030.

Notably, these projects have adopted prime contractor models, where the vendor is responsible for asset management, installation, and ongoing service. This structure is paired with performance-based pricing, in which utilities only pay for meters consistently delivering accurate data. The funding model helps spread the cost over time, incentivising vendors to maintain quality while reducing utility risk.

Australia’s water utilities are increasingly exploring similar commercial frameworks, particularly in local government areas with constrained capital budgets. Intellihub’s annuity pricing model aligns well with these trends, offering flexibility, scalability, and reliability through managed services prioritising outcomes over ownership.

Digital data for customer and network gains

One of the most significant benefits of digital metering is its ability to bridge the gap between customer expectations and utility performance. As service providers face mounting pressure to improve transparency and reduce household costs, digital meters offer the data required to do both.

Through platforms integrated with digital meter networks, utilities can provide customers with personalised insights into their water usage. Early leak alerts, consumption trends, and targeted conservation messaging are all possible. This helps reduce household water bills and strengthens public trust in utility providers, an important consideration in today’s cost-conscious environment.

At the same time, digital meter data is transforming internal utility operations. Access to high-resolution consumption information enables smarter asset planning, pressure management, and demand forecasting. The result is reduced strain on treatment plants, deferred capital upgrades, and better alignment with community growth.

The future is digital

Many Australian councils and utilities are already seeing returns from smart metering pilots and full-scale deployments. Millions of litres of water have been saved, billing disputes have declined, and operational teams are making better use of limited resources. However, broader industry adoption remains uneven, in part due to uncertainty around funding models and procurement frameworks.

This is where providers like Intellihub are helping to lead the way. By delivering a fully managed, data-centric, technology agnostic, and safety-focused solution, Intellihub supports utilities in every part of the metering journey—from device rollout to data assurance.

With pressure mounting to meet net-zero targets, reduce non-revenue water, and improve community outcomes, digital water metering offers a pathway toward future-proofed utilities. For those ready to act now, the benefits are clear: lower costs, better data, and more sustainable water use across the board.

For more information, visit intellihub.com.au