Mark Williams
GWMWater
Digital Metering
Managing Director

GWMWater - Overview

Our Digital Journey
• In 2009 we were nearing completion construction of the Wimmera Mallee
Pipeline converting a network of 16,000 km of channel to 9,000 km of
pipeline.
• With the construction of the pipeline almost, we sought to use unspent
project funds to deliver smart meters to improve the water efficiency of the
network.
• When we built the pipeline we were the first utility to put our SCADA network
in the cloud
• A corporate network that was internet facing
• An operating technology (OT) network that was locked down.
• We started trialling digital metering technology that utilised the 3G network
that acknowledged the biggest challenge after communications was power
supply.

Pilot using Solar and 3G network - 2009
• ETM Pacific
• Maxon
• Type 1
• Type 2
• Cases = IP67

Rural Deployment of Digital Metering
• In 2013, we were finally able to secure agreement to use the Wimmera
Mallee Pipeline ‘unspent funds’ as part of a suite of investments that would
allow GWMWater to ‘financially close’ the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline project.
• Developed a business case and approached the market assuming the
market would of a 3G / 4G technology.
• At the time low powered narrow band communication technologies were
emerging and being implemented at a commercial scale.
• Focus in the investment decision was the selection of the most cost effective
technology on a life cycle basis.
• In 2014, we selected the Taggle low powered radio network as the
technology for rural digital metering.

Rural Deployment - 2016

Network

Urban application of the technology
• Developed a business case to support the investment required to extend the
application of the technology to urban customers.
• When we conceptualised the introduction of rural digital meters we
deliberately deferred the replacement of urban water meters with a view of
maximising the value of visitation assuming the technology would be
deployed to urban customers.
• Business case premised on the deployment of the bolt on transmitters and
the business case ‘line ball’ based on ten year investment.

Business Case
• Developed a Business Case
assuming same meter installation as
rural customers.
• Marginally negative as an investment
by GWMWater.
• Overall a positive benefit cost ratio
when expanded beyond GWMWater
to include customer / societal benefit.
• Advanced to get Treasury and
regulator approval.
• Unqualified support of the regulator
in the 2018-2023 Water Price Review

Final Business Case
• When we were ready to implement,
an integrated water meter became
available with an assumed life of 15
years.
• Integrated water meter tested and in
test had improved performance
particularly in relation to resilience in
frost.
• Assumed a replacement of the whole
meter fleet and the value proposition
demonstrated to be most effective for
a 15 year (battery) life.

Urban deployment

GWMWater Customer Portal

2016 Rural Water Quality Event
• Elevated Blue Green Algae event gave rise to a
curtailment of supply on the Northern Mallee
Pipeline.
• System turned off on Friday afternoon.
• Customer Charter requires customers to tolerate
interruptions for up 72 hours.
• Restored the system on Monday and were able
to trace through the meter data time of supply
from the time the meter stopped to the meter
resuming.
1
3

Rural Water User – Undetected Leak
• Rural customer notified of potential leak
• Customer doubted leak
• Customer on holidays usage increased
• Customer found and fixed leak.
• However…there is a second leak

A Major Customer Drawing on the System

Urban Trace – Water Leak
• Customer complained about high water bill /
consumption.
• Used meter data to trace consumption.
• Low water use at all times except when hot water
system recharging.
• Were able to ascertain this was a faulty valve on
the solar hot water system.
1
6

Supporting an insurance
claim for water damage
• I was holidaying last year and
installed a new irrigation system prior
to leaving.
• One of the irrigation units failed and
water was discharging under the
house for two and a half days.
• From the portal inquiry I was able to
establish that 75 kl of water went
under the house.

Customer feedback is Gold

Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN)
19
• 104 network hubs
• 47,500 meters
• hourly reads are received every 24 hours
• 1,120,000 x readings per day
• big data management and analysis required

Supporting the technology in operation

What’s Next
• We are deploying the
technology to better
support our operations.
• Sewer manhole
monitoring in towns /
parts of the network that
are;
• prone to failure, or
• in environmentally
sensitive areas.
21
Winifred Street

Critical Alarm - Winifred St SPS MH (#166596)

1300 659 961 info@gwmwater.org.au
11 McLachlan Street,
Horsham 3400
gwmwater.org.au