City of Mandurah takes advantage of water flow monitor in WA first

The Internet of Things is a network of physical devices, vehicles, home appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators, and connectivity which connects these things online.

The City has connected meters to the water supply of some key facilities, connecting into the network. 

These meters monitor the flow of water, and if something unusual happens a message is sent by SMS to a council worker who can fix the problem quickly.

“This technology has the potential to save us a lot of money,” Mandurah CEO Mark Newman said.

“Not long ago we discovered some major leaks, but by the time they were discovered they had cost us significant sums of money. The meters mean we can react to water leaks and abnormal water consumption as soon as it happens, instead of having to wait for the next utilities bill to discover an issue.” 

Mr Newman said the project aligned with the City’s Waterwise council program which is aimed at improving water use efficiency within council facilities and the community, and also has a direct benefit to council in reducing water usage costs.

“This system is relatively low cost and we are looking to roll it out to more facilities across the City,” he said. 

“Another great advantage of this system is that we can use submeters, which allows us to accurately measure the water use of particular users of a shared system. This has the potential to reduce costs for some of our community groups. This is a great example of how the City is following through on its Corporate Business Plan.

“In this case it’s all about using technology to support transformation with Council and proactively address community needs. It also supports our important mission to be a community that is a leader in proactive and innovative environmental management.”