Water meters
About water meters
Water meters provide information on how much water we’re using in our households, businesses and organisations and help inform decisions about water management.
There are two main types of water meters. Traditional analogue water meters are mechanical devices that record water at the point of use. They need to be read manually.
Smart meters record water use in the same way but are connected to wireless communication devices providing current water use data. They can be read remotely via apps and software.
Smart meters are one of the most effective ways to not only help detect leaks but help us all better understand and manage our water consumption. Detecting leaks early also avoids damaging and disruptive pipe bursts.
Exploring the use of smart meters
In 2024, Wellington Water completed a smart meter technical fesability study (33KB PDF) on behalf of Greater Wellington Regional Council. The purpose of this study was to investigate how meters could help with improving our overall management of the wider network.
Aside from a small number of properties, the majority of residential properties in the metropolitan Wellington region are unmetered.
More than 60% of New Zealand is already metered, including Auckland, Tauranga, and Christchurch. Cities in New Zealand with water meters report significant reductions in water loss and residential usage.
Next steps on water meters
Tiaki Wai is progressing a business case to understand the benefits and further explore the feasibility of implementing smart meters across the region.
Full implementation is expected to take approximately five to seven years.
The Tiaki Wai Board has asked for further cost benefit analysis to be set out in a detailed business case. All implementation options will be considered, including whether Tiaki Wai owns the meters or leases them. There will be consideration of the programme scope, meter type, installation approach, and data management components. The programme must demonstrate optimum value for money.
Water meter archive
- Final Report - Greytown Smart Water Meter Trial - August 2023 (9.4MB PDF)
- Wellington Water Presentation to the Regional Water Shortages Summit -September 2023 (2.5MB PDF)
- Smart meters Q&A Regional Water Shortages Summit - September 2023 (545KB PDF)
- Universal Smart Water Metering - Information for Hutt City Councillors - December 2023 (3.1MB PDF)
- Supporting information and summary for the economic case for providing residential water consumption information - November 2020
- Economic case for providing residential water consumption information - November 2020
FAQs
If you install a water meter, will I have to pay for water?
The supply and delivery of water to your property is currently paid for through your rates water services bill. Tiaki Wai has not made decisions on how charges for water services may change after meters are installed. There will be public consultation before decisions are made.
What kind of data does a smart meter record? Would it contain personal data?
No personal information, such as names or property addresses, would be collected. The data would include only the meter serial number, time stamp and meter reading. Any additional data would be subject to the Privacy Act 2020 and New Zealand data security requirements.
Would I get access to the data from a smart water meter on my property?
The data is displayed on the face of the smart water meter, so you would be able to see the readings.
How is data transmitted from a smart meter?
Smart-meter data is transmitted as an encrypted radio signal. The energy emitted from modern smart water meters is just a tiny fraction of the energy from a normal mobile phone or a digital electricity meter. Smart water meters have been in place in many locations around the world for some years now, and there are no known health issues associated with their use. And smart electricity meters, which use the same kind of technology, have been attached to Kiwi homes for several years now without issue.
Where would a meter be located?
In most cases, smart water meters would be installed at the current point of supply, commonly known as the water toby, in a plastic box under the ground.
Who would own and maintain the meter?
Tiaki Wai would own and maintain the meter.
Would Tiaki Wai be able to tell if customers have a leak on their property?
Data from the smart meters would enable Tiaki Wai to alert customers to possible leaks. Please note, it would be the property owner’s responsibility to repair any leaks on their property.
Would householders be charged directly for the installation of smart meters?
No.
Are smart water meters the same as the electricity meters?
Although both meters measure how much customers use, a smart water meter is different from smart electricity meters. Smart water meters would not be installed inside a building, but customers would still be able to read their real-time water usage on the meter and/or via an app. A smart water meter can’t control or reduce how much water comes through the meter.
Why spend money on installing meters when you can fix all the leaks?
Installing smart water meters will help us find more leaks and more quickly. For example, smart meters can identify leaks on private property soon after they occur, avoiding potential damage to your property. This is a better use of resources as it means we do not have to send crews out to manually find them. A lot of the bigger leaks are not visible and underground, and smart meters will help us detect these types of leaks more effectively. It will also help councils assess water loss and demand and where to prioritise spending for future network upgrades or improvements. Leaks throughout the network are unavoidable, but we can manage this better through smart water meters which can tell us how much water is being lost and where.