Santa Teresa gets smart on water use

20 Jun 2011

The remote Central Australia community of Santa Teresa, located about an hour’s drive from Alice Springs, is the first Northern Territory remote community to take part in a six month trial of smart water meters.

This trial will help identify water leaks and general consumption patterns right across the community.

The Power and Water Corporation installed 150 smart water meters, mostly for domestic customers, in order to better track water usage within the community.

The trial will allow the Corporation to identify house repair and reticulation priorities and overall provide a clearer picture on demand management measures.

Power and Water’s General Manager Remote Operations Darryl Day said information gained from the smart water meters allowed better management of water infrastructure, such as identifying leaks and ensuring their timely repair, which in turn reduced overall water usage.

"This in turn will then reduce costs associated with pumping and supplying water for the community,” said Mr Day.

“Importantly it is also assisting people to monitor and manage their water consumption, making them aware of what they use and how much."

The information received from the meters will also provide valuable consumption data for the Power and Water’s community water planning team, which will in time work with the community to develop a water plan and hopefully conserve water and power for the whole community.

“Water is a precious resource and even more so in the deserts of Central Australia so it is vital that with the help of customers and residents we plan today to save water for the future," Mr Day said.

 

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