The expansion will upgrade existing meters with modern digital technology that securely sends daily water use data to Unitywater – providing faster leak identification, earlier customer notifications, clearer billing and a more complete picture of water use across the network.
Unitywater CEO, Anna Jackson, said digital meters were a key investment in building a more resilient and sustainable water network for the future.
“Digital metering represents a major step forward in our ongoing investment to modernise services and improve the customer experience,” Ms Jackson said.
“It means we can help detect leaks earlier, reduce water loss and help customers avoid unexpected high bills. It’s a simple change that delivers real benefits,’” she said.
Ms Jackson said the digital devices would be installed in network blocks, which are defined by the water supply infrastructure layout, rather than street-by-street – an approach that would allow the utility to more accurately pinpoint potential leaks in the network beyond the household level.
“Every drop lost through leaks is drinking water quality and so anything we can do to prevent leaks helps conserve a precious resource,” Ms Jackson said.
“Being able to more quickly see what is going on in our network helps us reduce water loss, manage network maintenance costs, and support regional water security,” she said.
Mountain Creek resident, Daryl Nish, experienced a large, concealed leak that significantly damaged his property.
“My experience shows just how serious a concealed leak can be when it goes unnoticed for a long time,” he said.
Unitywater’s expanded program follows successful pilot programs involving 10,000 properties, which delivered more than 800 million litres of water savings, more than $5 million in customer savings, and early leak identification support for more than 3,000 households.
To deliver the infrastructure installations, Unitywater will partner with ETS Infrastructure Management, a company that has delivered meter reading and plumbing services for Unitywater for more than a decade.
Ms Jackson said Unitywater would be reaching out to customers receiving a digital meter in 2026 and customers should also expect a notice approximately 10 days before their installation window. They do not need to be home for the upgrade, which typically takes 15 minutes to one hour. If water needs to be turned off, Unitywater will notify customers beforehand. The upgrade comes at no additional fee for customers.
As the program expands, Unitywater will be opening an option for customers to opt-in early. For more information or to register your interest visit our Digital Metering Program page.
