November 15, 2022
Toowoomba Regional Council will soon begin a $27.6 million rollout of smart water meters to all properties throughout the region.
Cr Rebecca Vonhoff said Council had voted to begin a full implementation of the program after an initial trial of almost 2000 meters.
The cost of the project, which includes the installation, operation and maintenance, is estimated to be $27.65 million in total and will be staged over the next three years.
“This is a large financial commitment from Council so prior to rolling out the meters to all households we targeted as many suburbs as possible to make sure the technology was compatible for all areas within the Toowoomba region,” Cr Vonhoff said.
“We’ve been able to detect leaks on customers’ properties which we previously wouldn’t have identified which is one of the main goals of this program.
“The system also has the ability to alert our team to any significant spikes in usage.
“Once the rest of the meters are installed, we’ll be able to identify further leaks which will help us save valuable water and improve our water security which is vital.
“Residents will also be able to use an app to check how much water they’re using. This will allow them to review their data and see what activities around their property use a lot of water so they can reduce their water use and also reduce their water bills.
“If properties have an underground leak, the meters will also help with early detection.
“Essentially, this means that Council will be able to operate more efficiently and residents will be able to monitor their own water usage effectively which will provide cost savings to both the resident and to Council.”
- Related article: TRC To Trial ‘Smart Meters’
