TPG Telecom and South East Water have joined forces to deliver the largest digital water meter rollout in Australia.
The ten-year deal will see TPG Telecom help South East Water to replace its old, mechanical water meters with one million narrowband internet of things (NB-IoT) smart meters across its 27,000km pipe network.
The new, digital water meters are estimated to save five billion litres of water annually and reduce bills for 1.7 million customers across Port Melbourne through to Portsea and towards Gippsland.
The digital meters will enable customers to track and manage their water consumption using daily updated information, which will help identify usage spikes and provide greater insights into household and commercial water use.
The connected digital meters will also help South East Water and its customers identify leaking taps and appliances, faulty irrigation systems, and identify behavioural change opportunities to reduce water use and save customers money on their water bills.
South East Water Acting General Manager Digital Utility, Mark Elvins, said, “We are excited about our partnership with TPG Telecom and the cost savings and sustainable benefits digital meters will bring to customers, community and the environment.
“As we look to the future, we need to build resilience into Australia’s water network to continue to respond to the challenges of water scarcity, a changing climate and growing population, with TPG Telecom we can now do that.”
TPG Telecom has developed the end-to-end IoT solution combining NB-IoT connectivity, SIM and device management to enable deployment of smart meters at scale. This allows South East Water to seamlessly and securely connect the NB-IoT smart meters, reduce costs and security risks, and provide the critical monitoring and enhanced coverage needed for its extensive network of water meters and pipe network.
TPG Telecom General Manager Enterprise & Government Customer Sales & Solutions, Chris Russo, said, “TPG Telecom is proud to be at the forefront of NB-IoT deployments with this significant advancement in water resource management, none of which would have been possible without the innovation and thought leadership of South East Water.
“This significant rollout demonstrates our commitment to innovation and customer service excellence and will provide South East Water with the insights and capability it needs to better manage water use for its customers and the environment.”
Featured image: South East Water
