Itron deploys smart meters, network for WA utility

Peter Dinham
Sunday, 13 November 2011 23:31

IT Industry - Deals

Global provider of energy and water resource management solutions, Itron, has completed the deployment and full rollout of its advanced water metering solution in Kalgoorlie for the Water Corporation of Western Australia.

Under the contract Itron has installed 13,500 smart meters, network infrastructure and associated software as part of its project to manage Kalgoorlie's resources more effectively and to provide greater control over water wastage.

The project is the largest wireless fixed-network water metering solution deployment in Australia to date, and a reference point for the value of smart metering systems in the water-scarce region. Itron's smart metering infrastructure solution utilises fixed network collection technology to remotely collect meter readings, and the communication modules wirelessly transmit enhanced metering data to collection devices installed in the field. Data is then passed over the network to a centralised billing system at the utility.

According to the Water Corporation's project manager, Garry Peach, 'with its industry knowledge and experience in delivering smart systems, selecting Itron for our water management needs was the clear choice.'

'With fewer property intrusions, quick access to special readings, detailed consumption data for a future customer portal, this solution will help us provide the best possible service to our customers. Ultimately, our goal is to help customers understand their usage patterns and change consumption behaviours to use water more efficiently.'

Kalgoorlie is completely reliant on Perth for its fresh water supply, which is delivered via a water pipeline nearly 600 kilometers long. With a population of 28,000 inhabitants and an isolated location'”making it the largest urban centre in the Goldfields-Esperance region'”water scarcity is an everyday reality.

Marcel Regnier, Itron president and COO, Water said 'scarcity issues and the impact of prolonged droughts are intensified without proper resource management,' and he added 'with this project, the Water Corporation has affirmed its commitment to its customers and to good stewardship of water in the region.'

Under the contract, the Kalgoorlie utility will have access to accurate and granular usage data that can be analysed to help forecast and manage production capacity. Itron's solution detects, and subsequently alerts, the utility to leaks within the distribution system, improving efficiency and reducing water losses and associated costs.

The fixed network solution also provides significant increases in operational safety'”by eliminating manual reading of hard-to-access meters, risks to the company's employees and contractors are significantly reduced.