Christchurch City Council in New Zealand has begun installing smart water meters in parts of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula to better manage water supply in the region.
The rollout, which prioritises areas with no water meters currently in place, will improve how the Council manages demand of the water supply, and will make it easier to identify and fix leaks.
The Council’s Head of Three Waters Gavin Hutchison said installing meters in currently unmetered areas was also essential for equity and efficiency. “At the moment, some areas don’t pay excess water charges simply because there aren’t water meters,” said Hutchison.
“Once a property has a meter – especially a smart meter – we can detect leaks much earlier. This means issues can be fixed quickly, avoiding wasted water and water charges.”
The rollout is part of the national ‘Local Water Done Well’ reforms to improve water infrastructure.
Smart meters have already been rolled out in parts of Auckland, where research has shown that while smart meters increase measurement accuracy by around 4%, the use of accompanying apps can also reduce water use by 5% due to improved consumer awareness.
The devices measure water consumption every 30 minutes and transmit data via cellular networks.
By mid-2027 the Christchurch Council expects to have installed around 4000 new water meters at properties that didn’t previously have a water meter, which will effectively mean the vast majority of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula will be metered.
“Opting out of the programme is not an option, as the rollout is critical to ensuring a resilient and efficient water network for the whole city,” said Hutchison.
“Even careful water users can have hidden leaks. Water meters help identify these to support a fair and sustainable water use system for everyone.”
The council has already installed smart meters in Travis Country, Rāwhiti, Akaroa and Brooklands–Kainga. Work is now under way in Governors Bay and Heathcote, with Lyttelton, Diamond Harbour and Duvauchelle to follow.
There are also plans to roll out meters to the suburbs of Riccarton, Hackthorne, Ferrymead and other parts of Banks Peninsula.
