TasWater will be replacing around 7000 water meters across properties west of the Mersey River in Devonport, and 1100 water meters across properties in the Kentish area, beginning in Railton.
The replacement program is part of the statewide Water Meter Renewal Program that will continue across the state to mid-2019. Many of the water meters currently in use are mechanical devices and as such are prone to wear and tear, much more than meters for electricity.
The new meters meet modern measurement regulations and the latest Australian standards that ensure the readings taken are accurate. Devonport and the Kentish area still have a number of asbestos water meter boxes which will be safely removed and replaced with standard meter boxes as part of the upgrade.
Specialist contractors will undertake the asbestos removal with appropriate protective equipment consisting of a white bodysuit. Water meter renewal will follow and TasWater will endeavour to ensure minimal disturbance to properties during this process.
The new water meters are able to be read remotely, reducing the time and resources required by TasWater to manually read the older water meters. The new meters can also detect lower flow rates which can help with leak detection on properties if necessary.