Water Meters

The decision  to replace water meters was not taken lightly by Council. This represents a significant program for the Town. Apart from financial savings, this  will ensure our utility system is operating effectively and provide confidence in our ability to grow. We are not simply addressing ‘old’ issues; our system is breaking in real time.

The total cost of the water meter replacement program is $3.5-$4mln and will take place over the next 4-5 years. The average useful lifespan of a water meter is 15 years and the majority of water meters in the Town are at that stage or older. The measuring accuracy of most meters decreases over time.

A Precious Resource

Based on the water meters that have been replaced, the Town is seeing improved reading efficiency which is helping to identify leaks on both side of the property line (4 to date). The Kamstrup IQ 2200 is replacing existing meters as well as being installed in all new builds up to 1” in size.

The new meters have acoustic sensors that ‘listen’ for the sounds of water escaping under pressure. Leaks make a unique vibration in the pipe and the meter flags this so leaks can be found early, even underground.

Below is an example of a leak identified on a service outside a home in Town once the replacement meter was installed. The meter identified a steady increase in noise that matched with typical leak progression. You can see how the noise value dropped significantly post repair.