Itron is collaborating with Watercare Services, New Zealand's largest water and wastewater utility, to modernize its water network by deploying 100,000 Intelis wSource digital water meters across the Auckland region. This initiative represents one of the largest smart water metering upgrades in New Zealand and is part of Watercare's plan to connect almost half a million smart meters in total. The deployment will provide Watercare with greater visibility into its network, accelerating leak detection and improving billing accuracy.

The digital transformation project supports Watercare's broader technology program to modernize Auckland's water network and enhance data usage for asset management, customer consumption tracking, and leak detection. By integrating advanced sensors and analytics, Itron's solution aims to help Watercare meet evolving customer needs while improving network resiliency.

Technical Specifications and Benefits

Itron's Intelis wSource meters utilize an NB-IoT network to deliver frequent and highly accurate consumption data. Designed to operate for 15 years with minimal maintenance, the meters are built to withstand Auckland's harsh marine environment. These capabilities are expected to improve operations, lower costs, and create a more sustainable network.

Strategic Alignment

Justin Patrick, senior vice president of Device Solutions at Itron, emphasized the project's alignment with New Zealand's 2025 Water Services (Wastewater Environmental Performance Standards). He stated that the Intelis wSource water meter would eliminate manual meter reads, support efficient operations, provide infrastructure insights, and strengthen the utility's future infrastructure resiliency. The collaboration aims to reduce real water losses across Watercare's network.