TPG Telecom has secured a landmark 10-year contract for Australia's largest smart water metering rollout for South East Water. In a statement, the telecommunications company explains the initiative will involve the installation and management of one million narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT) smart meters across Victoria, marking a significant step forward in the region's water management efforts.
The project, hailed as a game-changer for the industry, will replace traditional mechanical water meters with cutting-edge NB-IoT digital meters. These meters will be deployed throughout South East Water's 27,000 km pipe network, which serves 1.7 million customers from Port Melbourne to Portsea and extending towards Gippsland.
The benefits of this digital transformation are far-reaching. The new meters are expected to save an estimated five billion litres of water annually by enabling more efficient network operations and improving leak detection. Customers will gain access to daily updates on their water usage, allowing them to monitor consumption patterns, identify leaks, and make informed decisions to conserve water and reduce costs.
Mark Elvins, Acting General Manager Digital Utility at South East Water, emphasized the importance of this partnership, stating, "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”. And he added: “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.”
Chris Russo, TPG Telecom's General Manager Enterprise & Government Customer Sales & Solutions, highlighted the significance of the rollout, saying, "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.”
