As part of works to modernise water infrastructure and improve water management practices, Southern Downs Regional Council has installed more than 4,500 smart water meters across the region – including 620 meters in Warwick.
The $5 million drought resilience project has already realised promised water savings. To date, smart meter data technology has identified and addressed 471 leaks, saving an impressive 365,376kL of water, valued at $1,037,669.
Southern Downs Councillor, Carla Pidgeon, said the smart water meter project is delivering on Council’s pledge to enhance water sustainability and efficiency.
“Smart meters are set to play a pivotal role in bolstering drought resilience and shoring up long-term water security for our drought prone region,” Councillor Pidgeon said.
“By reducing water loss from leaks, enhancing the accuracy of water bills and informing better water usage decisions, these digital devices represent a significant advancement in water sustainability and efficiency.
“Smart water meters empower residents with real-time water consumption data to manage their water usage efficiently and this will ultimately save rate payers dollars by detecting water leaks in a timely manner.
“As the program continues to successfully rollout across the entire Southern Downs region, our community can look forward to a future of improved water security and sustainability.”
More than 9,000 smart meters will be installed to properties on the reticulated network in Warwick and surrounding areas during Stage 2 of the rollout, following the installation of more than 2,700 smart meters in Stanthorpe since October 2022.
Councillor Pidgeon also encouraged residents with smart meters to register for the MySDRCWater online customer portal to access real-time water data.
“Central to the smart water meter initiative is the MySDRCWater online customer portal, which provides users with real-time access to their water consumption data,” Councillor Pidgeon said.
“The online portal gives residents with smart water meters the opportunity to detect leaks early and monitor water consumption for everyday usage.
“The MySDRCWater portal is a tool for residents to take control of their water usage by monitoring their water consumption with hourly updates, tracking consumption trends and setting alarms for over-usage or early leak detection. It’s a game-changer for water management in our region.”
Southern Downs Mayor, Melissa Hamilton, expressed her gratitude for government funding, saying the infrastructure upgrades are having a notable impact on the region’s water management and sustainability efforts.
“Thanks to the invaluable support from the State and Federal Governments, we’ve been able to significantly enhance our water infrastructure,” Mayor Hamilton said.
“This initiative is already making a difference, saving water and helping our community manage usage more efficiently, and it’s a crucial step towards securing a sustainable future for our region.”
Queensland Minister for Water, Glenn Butcher, said the rollout is part of the State Government’s more than $300 million investment in the Toowoomba to Warwick Pipeline project and water security in the Southern Downs.
“The smart meter technology will help save water and improve drought resilience for the Southern Downs and this investment highlights our commitment to water security for this region,” Mr Butcher said.
“I’m pleased to see more and more Councils like the Southern Downs Regional Council committing to water monitoring and water saving technologies.”
The Warwick and surrounding smart meters are funded by the Queensland Government, and the Stanthorpe metering project is jointly funded by the State and Federal Governments via the Local Economy Recovery funding program with co-contribution from Council.
Featured image: Councillor Pidgeon meets with Customer Service staff member Monique to see how easy it is to register for the MySDRCWater portal. Image: Southern Downs Regional Council.
For more information on smart water metering technology, visit taggle.com/smartwatermetering.
Southern Downs residents with smart water meters can sign up for the MySDRCWater portal at mysdrcwater.sdrc.qld.gov.au.
