NSW WATER
METERING SCHEME
– MURRAY PILOT
The NSW Water Metering Project
How will the Project take place?
The Australian Government has agreed in principle to commit
up to $221 million to the NSW Water Metering Scheme
to improve the measurement of water extracted from
groundwater, regulated and unregulated rivers throughout the
Murray Darling Basin.
Water licence holders within the area of the Pilot Project will
be contacted by State Water or its representative to arrange
a visit to assess their water meter(s) on-site.
Ultimately, the NSW Metering Project will see the installation
of high accuracy, tamper proof and low maintenance meters
across the NSW Murray-Darling Basin.
The Australian Government, through the ‘Water for the
Future Program’, is funding the $22.4 million Murray Pilot
Project to install metering in the Upper Murray catchment.
The Murray Pilot will be used to evaluate installation options
and techniques prior to roll-out of the Project across MurrayDarling Basin in NSW.
The Murray Pilot Project is being jointly undertaken by the
NSW Office of Water and State Water Corporation. State
Water Corporation has been contracted to manage the
implementation of the Murray Pilot Project, on behalf of both
organisations.
Comdain Infrastructure Pty Ltd has been contracted to
design and manage the process of installing the new meters
and telemetry.
The Murray Pilot Project
This important Project consists of upgrading or replacing up to
1200 water meters as the precursor to rolling out the Metering
Scheme in the rest of the Murray-Darling Basin.
Benefits of the Pilot Project
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Improved water measurement accuracy that will save water
Improvements to installation options and techniques
Consistent metering
Reduced meter reading operating costs
Regional employment opportunities
Improved water security and delivery
For more information visit
www.statewater.com.au
Any water licence holders outside the pilot area who might be
involved in the wider Metering Scheme will be contacted at
a later date.
Most sites with an existing meter will have a new compliant
meter installed. Many sites which are currently not metered
will require a meter, based on the assessment of usage,
entitlment size and installed pump capacity. State Water,
as program manger, will advise individual licence holders if
anew meter will be installed.
When will the Project take place?
Meter installation will commence mid to late 2011 and is
expected to be completed by June 2012.
Where is it taking place?
The pilot area covers the area upstream of Torrumbarry Weir
near Moama/Echuca and extends along the Murray River
through Barham, Tocumwal, Yarrawonga, Corowa, Howlong,
Albury, Jingellic as far as Tooma.
It extends north from the Murray River to Stevens Weir on
the Edward River near Deniliquin, to Culcairn along Billabong
Creek and includes the area around Tumbarumba. The pilot
area covers regulated rivers, unregulated tributaries and
groundwater bores.
It extends north from the Murray River to Stevens Weir on
the Edward River near Deniliquin, to Culcairn along Billabong
Creek and includes the area around Tumbarumba. The pilot
area covers regulated rivers, unregulated tributaries and
groundwater bores.
A NATIONAL WATER
INITIATIVE – A STATE
SOLUTION
In 2004, all governments in Australia agreed
to establish a national approach to water
management, and thus created the National
Water Initiative (NWI).
Under the Initiative, new national standards
for water meters and meter data collection
systems were established. Agreed standards
for rural water meters were confirmed in 2009
and Australian governments will oversee the
replacement of all non-conforming meters by
30 June 2016.
The following overview outlines the NWI
metering priorities and the intent of the NSW
Metering Scheme – Murray Pilot.
Implementation plan
Under the NWI, States are required to develop implementation
plans that detail how the new water meters will be rolled
out. In the case of NSW the draft plan proposes metering a
minimum of 95 percent of extraction in any given area.
Electromagnetic flow meters
Electromagnetic flow meters (also known as magflow meters)
have been selected for their accuracy and their comparatively
low maintenance. This type of meter does not have any moving
parts in the water that can impose restrictions in the pipe.
Electromagnetic meters are generally less susceptible to sand
and vegetation contamination than mechanical meters which
have been the predominant meter type in use along the Murray
system. In some situations meters of a non electromagnetic
type may be used where site conditions are suitable.
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WHAT WATER
SOURCES WILL
BE METERED?
Telemetry
Telemetry will transmit meter data to databases instantaneously,
and reduces the need for a person to physically go to the site
to read the meter. The availability of real time readings will
enable many customers to have access to better water account
information and improve their business decisions. It will also
enable State Water Corporation to manage the regulated rivers
more efficiently and the NSW Office of Water to monitor usage
and manage the unregulated and groundwater systems.
Maintenance
Landowners will not be responsible for maintaining the new
water meters. Instead, State Water will own the meters on
the regulated river system, and NSW Office of Water will
own the meters on the unregulated river and groundwater
systems. State Water and NOW will be responsible for ensuring
consistent maintenance, prompt repair and ongoing accuracy.
Owning a large fleet of meters means that both State Water
and NSW Office of Water can take advantage of cost effective
methods to ensure accuracy rather than each privately owned
meter requiring individual certification.
Further information on NWI
More information on the National Water Initiative and new
standards is available from the Australian Government’s
National Water Commission: www.nwc.gov.au
The NSW Metering Scheme’s Murray Pilot Project
will provide many licensed users of water from
regulated, unregulated streams and groundwater
sources with new telemetry-enabled water meters.
Metering water entitlement
The Murray Pilot Project will see meters installed on sites on
regulated rivers, unregulated rivers and groundwater systems.
Water extracted for town water supplies will also be metered
by the Project.
Metering of basic landholder rights and on-farm dams are not
part of this Project.
Which water sources will be included?
Preparation for meter installation for water users extracting
water from the regulated system, unregulated system and
groundwater will commence from July 2011.
Will shallow groundwater bores be included?
Many shallow groundwater bores or spear point systems were
installed in the 1990s specifically to manage high watertables.
State Water Corporation is collecting information on these sites
but the decision on whether to install meters on these sites will
depend upon a number of factors including available funding.
What about customers of Murray Irrigation?
The Murray Pilot Project includes Murray Irrigation’s bulk
water offtakes from the river but does not include internal
customers of Murray Irrigation who receive regulated water
supply from the Murray Irrigation channel system.
However, Murray Irrigation customers who have deep aquifer
irrigation bores or shallow groundwater bores in the pilot area
may require a meter on these bores. State Water, as program
manager, will advise if this is the case.
Licence holders downstream of the Hume Dam, and those
extracting water from the Murray and Edward River systems
are part of the regulated system.
Licence holders along the upper reaches of Billabong
Creek and the smaller tributaries above Hume Dam (i.e.
around Holbrook, Tumbarumba and Tooma) are part of the
unregulated system.
The groundwater system includes zones 014, 015 and 016.
Taking care of it
3
SELECTING SITES
FOR NEW METERS
A combination of factors including water usage,
entitlement volume and size of pump installations
will be considered to identify sites that require
a new meter
Review of water extraction data
The Murray Pilot Project is aiming to meter the vast majority
of extractions from each water source (regulated, unregulated
and groundwater), which means that a large number of water
extractors will receive a new meter.
In the first instance, State Water Corporation, NSW Office of
Water and the Managing Contractor (Comdain Infrastructure
Pty Ltd) will use historical water usage information to
determine sites that will receive a new meter. Other factors
such as water entitlement and the size of pump installations
will also be considered.
WHEN WILL
THE NEW METERS
BE INSTALLED?
Consultation
Comdain Infrastructure will visit each water user to confirm
specific site requirements, expected future water usage patterns
and the potential to rationalise multiple extraction points.
During this consultation phase Comdain Infrastructure will
ensure that any potential changes to future water usage
patterns or any other issues not readily identifiable from
licence information are considered in preparation for the meter
installations.
There are several phases to the NSW Metering
Scheme’s Murray Pilot Project, from preliminary
planning through to installation.
Site visits for the Murray Pilot Project will
commence in mid 2011. The Project is expected
to be completed and functional by June 2012.
It is likely that the initial list of sites may be varied after
consultation.
Comdain Infrastructure Pty Ltd has been
contracted to design and manage the process
of installing the new meters on behalf of State
Water Corporation and NSW Office of Water.
Confirmation
The planning phase
Following the consultation, NSW Office of Water will confirm
which sites will require a new meter and will notify the relevant
licence holders.
During the planning phase, Comdain Infrastructure will:
• prepare concept designs and installation details;
Ranking
• determine the resources and capital items needed, including
meters and fittings;
Water extraction statistics and information on licence and
pump capacity have been analyzed to identify sites that are
likely to require a new meter. The resulting draft list of likely
sites to be metered is then used for planning purposes.
After field inspections specific circumstances may mean
that the initial list of sites is varied.
• outline a schedule of works specifying sites and their date
of completion;
Most sites with an existing meter will have a new compliant
meter installed. Many sites which are currently not metered
will require a meter, based on the assessment of usage,
entitlement size and installed pump capacity. State Water,
as program manger, will advise individual licence holders if
a new meter will be installed.
Installation
Once designs are complete, Comdain Infrastructure will work
with licence holders to arrange the most mutually convenient
times (taking into account irrigation schedules and other
on-site conditions) for installation to occur.
The time taken to install a meter varies; a standard meter is
expected to take up to three days, while longer installation
times might be needed for larger or more complex sites.
Most meters will operate on 12 volt solar power and be self
contained without needing to connect to mains power.
While access to water pumping may be affected during
installation, works will be scheduled to minimise any
disruption to pumping.
Completion
All meters and telemetry are expected to be installed by
June 2012.
• address other planning requirements including consultation
and environmental assessments.
Information will be made available to licence holders and
details of the proposed installation process will be made
available by State Water Corporation, as program manager at
the completion of the planning phase, which is expected to be
by August 2011.
On-site visits
Comdain Infrastructure’s irrigation designers expect site visits
to commence in August 2011. However, a small number of
landholders will be contacted by Comdain Infrastructure
earlier to field-test the planning process.
During the visits, Comdain Infrastructure will inspect each site,
discuss any specific site requirements (like access, irrigation
schedules, etc) and any unique characteristics that are likely to
impact the proposed design.
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Taking care of it
5
WHO PAYS FOR THE
NEW METER?
The purchase and installation cost of the new
meters and telemetry will be paid by the Project.
Landholders will be responsible for annual
maintenance charges through a meter service
charge as determined by the independent body,
IPART (Independent Pricing and Regulatory
Tribunal of New South Wales).
DOES EVERYONE
NEED A NEW METER?
Current 2011/12 metering service charges (per meter, per
annum) as set by IPART are:
State Water
NSW Office
of Water
Cost ($)
Cost ($)*
n/a
$226.74
Locally read, electromagnetic
meter without telemetry
$219.78
$297.00
Installation
Remotely read, electromagnetic
meter with mobile phone modem
$296.80
$387.48
Licence holders will not be liable for the initial capital costs of
installing the new water meters – these costs will be covered
by the Australian Government.
Remotely read, electromagnetic
meter with satellite telemetry
modem
$620.31
$722.80
Remotely read, channel meter
with mobile or satellite modem
$620.31
$722.80
Ownership
State Water Corporation and NSW Office of Water will own
the new meters and be responsible for ensuring their effective
operation and accurate measurement. Meanwhile, customers
will remain responsible for the cost of metering through a new
meter service charge, which also covers the cost of telemetry.
How are costs determined?
Costs for State Water and NSW Office of Water are reviewed
and determined by IPART (Independent Pricing and Regulatory
Tribunal) an independent body in New South Wales.
In determining meter service charges, IPART considers
submissions from all stakeholders, including individuals and
representative industry bodies.
What costs will apply?
IPART reviewed the submissions and set meter service charges
to cover the operation and maintenance of each meter
installed. The determination is subject to CPI with the charge
to be invoiced at the same time as customers’ water usage and
entitlement charges.
Meter Facility
Locally read, mechanical meter
*Costs will be adjusted annually by the CPI.
State Water charges are for regulated customers; NSW
Office of Water charges are for unregulated and groundwater
customers. Differences between the two charges reflect the
fact that regulated customers already pay for some meter
readings undertaken by State Water.
Whilst new meters will be mandatory in most
circumstances, there may be opportunity for
some licence holders to rationalise the number
of meters and lessen the annual meter service
charges. How does this affect you? Read on…
An opportunity to rationalise
The NSW Metering Scheme’s Murray Pilot Project’s
replacement of water meters provides an ideal opportunity for
licence holders to review and rationalise both the number and
location of water meters on their properties.
Managing contractor, Comdain Infrastructure Pty Ltd will be
able to advise on this having reviewed each licence holder’s
water use, their capacity for pumping and the size of their
water entitlement before conducting on-site visits.
What if my meter already complies with
new metering standards?
Meter service charges
At the heart of this Project is telemetry-enabled metering that
provides the ability to accurately measure and report water
flow information in real time for improved on-site and systemwide water management.
The meter service charge is based on the number of meters
installed for each licence holder. The more meters a customer
has, the greater the meter service charge.
As all meters must be fully compatible with the new standards,
it’s likely that most existing meters – even some that have been
installed relatively recently – will need replacing.
The meter service charge covers repairs and maintenance of
meters and telemetry, costs of collecting and processing meter
readings and periodic validation of meter accuracy.
The new national standards for water meters and their data
collection systems developed under the National Water
Initiative (NWI), require all non conforming meters to be
replaced with complying devices – such as those installed by
the Project – by 30 June 2016.
Future charges
In their next submissions to IPART, State Water Corporation
and NSW Office of Water will continue to review all costs
associated with metering, including any efficiencies delivered
by the Murray Pilot Project.
Do I need my water meter?
Comdain Infrastructure will visit licence holders to discuss the
design and location of the new meter(s).
Before this visit, licence holders are encouraged to consider:
• Whether the meter to be replaced will be used now and in
the future (a meter should be installed even if the pump is
not used every year). If a site will no longer be used, it is
important to let Comdain Infrastructure’s representative
know this during the visit.
• Whether multiple installations are needed or if any could
be decommissioned to reduce costs (multiple meters incur
multiple meter service charges). The ability of a single
meter to cover multiple pumps will be considered. Channel
measurement is also being considered to reduce installation
costs where multiple units connect to a single channel.
What do I do if a meter is no longer required?
Licence holders should write to State Water Corporation, as
program manager, if they believe a meter site is no longer
required. This information will be forwarded to the NSW Office
of Water for action to amend the work approval. Note that
dismantling and removing any decommissioned pumping
equipment may be required in some cases.
Can I refuse a new meter?
The NSW Office of Water will write to all licence holders
deemed to require a new meter under the relevant legislation...
If a licence holder refuses to have a meter installed and they
subsequently extract water from that site, they may be in
breach of licence conditions and penalties may apply.
Any breach of licence conditions will be reported by State Water
Corporation, as program manager, to the NSW Office of Water.
During the IPART submission process, all licence holders will
be able to provide comment.
Further information on metering costs can be found on the
IPART website: www.ipart.nsw.gov.au
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Taking care of it
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SOME COMMON
QUESTIONS ANSWERED…
Here are some responses to common questions
regarding the new metering system.
Can the new meters be serviced with
minimal disruption to watering?
The metering system is not broken so
why fix it?
Yes. New meters will have low maintenance requirements, and
the telemetry device will assist in identifying when servicing is
required in order to minimise disruption.
Accurate metering is crucial to good water management and
important for fairness and equity amongst licence holders.
Investigations by State Water Corporation shows very few
existing meters comply with the new national standards.
Meters funded and installed as part of the Project will comply
with the new national standards.
My meter already complies with the new
standards, are any changes necessary?
Meters installed as part of the Project will meet the new
standards but importantly will also be compatible with a
telemetry based meter reading system which will enable
improved water management The technology ultimately
allows for highly accurate, real-time measurement and
reporting of water flows. If an existing meter complies with
the national standards, and is compatible with the telemetry
system, the meter will be retained where possible and
telemetry added.
Some compliant meters may require modifications to
connecting pipework to make the meter installation fully
compliant.
If I decide to decommission one of my
pumps, what do I need to do?
Licence holders will be asked to identify any sites on their
property where pumping is no longer required. State Water,
as program manager, will advise NSW Office of Water to
commence action to modify work approvals.
If one of my meters needs to be replaced
in the future, will I get a say in the type
of meter?
No. State Water or NSW Office of Water will replace the meter
with one that is compatible with the existing installation.
Is everyone getting a new meter?
The Project aims to meter the vast majority of water extracted
in the Project area. Sites to receive new meters are determined
by historical water usage, water entitlement and size of works.
When will my meter be installed?
Meter installation will occur before June 2012. A typical meter
installation should take about three days. Licence holders will
be contacted before installation is scheduled so that minimal
disruption to licence holders can be ensured.
Taking care of it