Tiaki Wai is continuing to refine plans to roll out water meters to all properties in its region (Hutt, Porirua, Upper Hutt and Wellington Cities). This will take several years, potentially starting with pilots in 2027.
"The Tiaki Wai Board is clear that our focus is on implementing metering with the right approach at the right price and the right pace,” says Tiaki Wai Chief Executive Michael Brewster.
“We are acutely aware of the importance of every dollar of customers’ money and want to assure the region that we have a sharp focus on delivering value for money throughout this process.”
“Work is continuing to confirm meter specifications, installation and data management components. This is expected to include pilots to test and learn about issues for implementation. For example, the meters will need to be connected into the pipe carrying water to a property. This could be more challenging for hillside properties, or properties where the pipe is in poor condition.”
“We appreciate the community’s interest in metering, but we ask people to support a coordinated approach to rolling out meters, rather than doing it themselves.”
Any meter and surface box (housing the meter) installed now is unlikely to be compatible with the future network. This is because Tiaki Wai plans to install smart meters that can be read electronically but has not yet finalised the exact specifications. All meters must be installed in a surface box (also called a toby or manifold box) with fittings that meet standards, but those standards have to be updated to provide for the installation of a smart meter.
When the Tiaki Wai water metering programme is rolled out, the costs will be borne by Tiaki Wai; while property owners will pay towards this over time through their water services charges, they will not have to pay directly for the meter or installation.
Mr Brewster says there have been some questions about the estimated cost of the metering programme, currently estimated at around $500m to $590m compared to recent estimates of the cost in Auckland.
“It’s important to be clear that we expect to purchase and install meters at a similar rate to Watercare in Auckland, however the work Watercare are doing and the work proposed in the Wellington region is very different. Watercare already has existing analogue meters in place which they are swapping out with new smart meters. In Wellington, we’re starting from scratch - there are no existing meters. That means that our proposed costs include significant civil and mechanical works – in fact, these make up the greatest share of our cost estimate.”
“The Board has asked for further economic and financial analysis and ongoing scope refinement to ensure the programme provides optimum value for money for the people of the region,” says Mr Brewster.