Wireless water metering uses an effective radio transmitting technology that allows battery-operated devices to wirelessly connect and send data across the internet. The development of the technology allows devices connected through a gateway to supply almost real-time data to evaluate water use, help detect leaks on a property and record other information. So, wireless-connected smart water meters work in a similar fashion to mobile phones, recording information and sending it on.
Prior to the new smart metering technology, local councils and water utilities in Australia read their residential and commercial customers’ mechanical or traditional water meters either monthly or quarterly. This was not as effective as present technologies and often resulted in hefty excess water charges if a leak has gone undetected, causing many a customer having to pay more on their bill.
Automatic, wireless or smart water meter technology now enables hourly readings of the water usage on a property. They calculate the generation of daily reports, detecting any unusual increases in usage. This means their performance is effective, with the anomaly addressed quickly which benefits both the council and customer.
What Causes Costly Leaks?
Water use can be excessive if there are leaks, which can cost money, as a result of:
- High water pressure
- Temperature changes
- Foundation shifts
- Ageing plumbing
- Leaving a tap half-open, or open enough to cause a constant drip
Wireless water meters work by reading your water use on an hourly basis, providing you with accurate and up-to-date information about your water usage – making it easier to catch onto any potential costly water leaks and issues.
But what other benefits are there? The following four reasons set out why smart wireless water metering solutions are more effective at reading your meter and are superior to traditional methods:
Wireless Smart Meters Are Economical
The automatic, wireless, or smart water meter solutions are radio transmitters that record how many pulses are generated as water passes through. The transmitters, fitted to the water meter, will read meters and report the water use readings via a radio signal by the hour.
Local water authorities process the data, taking into account almost real-time analyses of consumption, which is more effective and economical than manually reading. This cuts costs and saves money for both consumers and for councils who don’t have to employ meter readers to physically attend premises. There can be problems for meter readers gaining access to properties on land that is difficult to traverse.
A radio transmitting water meter also uses much less power to transmit information than a mobile phone uses. This means it’s possible that a new battery installed in a wireless water meter can last for up to 10 years, making it more economical and effective, lowering the cost of owning one. This is particularly so if you have a regulated and certified water meter with a 10-year life span rating.
Wireless Water Meters Have a Longer Range
A wireless system has a longer range and can outstrip the ranges of nearly all other systems on the market. The reason is the bandwidth which can have an unprecedented, longer range of up to 15 kilometres in an open paddock on a property with no interference.
In most cases, you can expect a range of 1.5 to two km long inside buildings, which surpasses manual or drive-by water usage meter reading systems.
Wireless Water Meters Are Scalable
The typical water meters produced over the past 20 years have either mechanical, or electronic switches that open and close as water passes through causing a pulse.
By converting the water flow into a digital signal, even older mechanical meters can be upscaled to work with modern data logging and wireless communication systems.
It’s fortunate in Australia that the most common models of mechanical smart water meters are both pulse-ready and effective. This means you can scale up your existing meters for many more years to come, transforming them into smart water metering with retrofit devices.
Wireless Water Meters Are Secure and Encrypted
End-to-end data encryption is a feature of wireless-enabled smart water metering, which means the wireless smart meter system has effective security measures inbuilt when data is sent to an energy reporting software. This ensures the data remains secure.
Where to Get Smart Wireless Water Meter Installations
Our smart metering installers and staff at The Water Meter Guys are inducted Licensed Plumbers with a wealth of knowledge, resources and experience in the plumbing industry. We use the most up to date plumbing technology to monitor and provide robust and reliable smart water metering for all kinds of properties.
For all your smart meter service connections and installation needs in Queensland, contact our knowledgeable and professional team today. Contact us now on 1300 882 342 for a quote or check us out online to get your new water meter installed.
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