At this stage, we’re only installing digital meters in Box Hill North, Glen Waverley, Reservoir, and Vermont South. Unfortunately, we’re not able to accept requests for a digital meter outside these areas

Not all properties in the selected suburbs will receive a digital meter during our initial rollout. When planning and selecting properties, we consider several factors, including your property type, existing meter, and supply network configuration.

We expect to complete the initial rollout of digital meters in Box Hill North, Glen Waverley, Reservoir, and Vermont South by mid 2025.

After this, we’ll report back to the Essential Services Commission (ESC) before planning the full rollout, which will upgrade approximately 1 million water meters. 

To make sure this is cost-effective, we’ll do this suburb by suburb and we expect it to take around 5–7 years to complete.

We’ll contact households directly when their area is scheduled for a digital meter upgrade.

Every property has a water meter – a device that tracks the volume of water being supplied to that property from the water pipe out in the street.

Without water meters, we wouldn’t know how much water a property used, and we wouldn’t be able to accurately bill people for the water they used. Water meters are usually in the front yard of the property.

For most customers, a meter reader physically visits the property every 3 months to take a water meter reading. This reading is compared to the previous water meter reading, and the difference is used to calculate the next bill.

Here’s an example of the digital water meters being installed.
 

Digital meters measure water volume and automatically send regular water readings to our secure data center by using existing telecommunication infrastructure. 

No personal information is stored in the meter and all data is encrypted.

We don't recommend covering the meter as it could block the signal and reduce the battery life.

The battery should last around 15 years.

No. Digital meters are entirely safe. They emit low level radiofrequency (RF) waves, a form of electromagnetic energy present all around us from natural and man-made sources and comply with Australian regulatory standards for smart meters and health.

All meters are tested prior to installation and certified by the National Measurements Institute to ensure they are fit for purpose, are able to operate in the environment in which they’re expected to be used and have continuous water flow equal to or less than 16,000 L/h.

No. Digital meters cannot be used to remotely shut off water supply to a person’s property. 

Digital meters measure the water that is supplied to a property and this information is used for billing purposes. 

They provide more detailed and timely information about their water use, compared to traditional mechanical meters. 

The technology means customers can understand and manage their water usage more effectively.

Digital meters measure the flow and volume of water being used.

Digital meters send automatic readings to our secure data centre, so you shouldn’t need to take a manual reading. If you do need to take a manual reading from your meter, follow these steps:

1. Locate your meter - Your meter will usually be located close to the front of the property, often just inside the front fence near a garden tap.
2. Match the meter to your account - Open the meter’s lid and take note of the badge / serial number located below the blue button. This number should match your account number.
3. Activate the meter - Briefly press the blue button. After a few moments the screen will activate and will display a series of numbers.
4. How to use the meter – The numbers on the screen show the volume of water you used to date. The underlined numbers represent how many cubic meters (m3) or kilolitres (1,000 litres) have been used. The numbers to the right of the decimal point represent single litres.
5. Read the meter - If we’ve asked you to send us a meter reading billing purposes, you only need to send the underlined numbers (cubic metres / kilolitres).
6. Close the meter - Close the lid so the meter is protected.

No. Digital water meters use sound waves and not electromagnetic fields to measure waterflow. The only time electromagnetic fields are produced is when the meter transmits data (1 – 2 times per day for approximately 60 seconds).

Digital water meters do not affect the quality of water. These meters have received ‘Watermark’ certification, complying with Australian Standard AS4020. This standard tests their impact on drinking water, specifically examining taste, appearance, the growth of aquatic micro-organisms, cytotoxic activity, metal extraction, and mutagenic activity.

To ensure our plumbers can access your meter you may need to:
- dig soil away from 
- trim back any bushes or shrubs
- ensure you are home if your meter is behind a locked gate

Meters also need 25mm clearance from concrete to prevent any damage to the pipes. In most cases, our plumbers can carefully chisel out the concrete to allow access to the meter and will discuss this with you on the day. 

If you’re not home, we’ll call you to discuss clearing the concrete so we can install the meter. 

You don’t need to be at home when we install your meter. If your meter is hard to access, then you can book a time for us to install your meter when you can provide access to the meter.  

If you have any safety needs, certain medical conditions or require special assistance with how we install your new digital water meter, our friendly Watercare team is able to help.

If you can’t make a booking using the booking tool, contact New Plumbing Solutions on 1300 994 559 (option 1).

Our service technicians will try their best to communicate using language cards. Currently we offer language services in Arabic, Cantonese, Mandarin and Greek.

If another language is spoken, the technician will do their best to communicate with the customer by showing them the water meter. If the customer indicates refusal (close door / shake head), the technician will not complete the job.

You can rebook at a time when you’re home via the online booking tool or contact New Plumbing Solutions on 1300 994 559 (option 1) if your property is difficult to access.

We have partnered with New Plumbing Solutions (NPS) and all service technicians will wear Yarra Valley Water and NPS cobranded uniforms that will be easily identifiable.

You can leave feedback on the digital metering install process online or contact us.

If your property has been damaged during the installation process, please contact us immediately.

We need to turn the water off at your property for 10-15 minutes during the installation. 

When your water is turned back on, it may start bubbling due to air entering your water pipe during the installation. 

It should only take a moment for the air to clear and your water supply to return to normal. 

If you choose not to upgrade to a digital water meter for the time being, please contact us. We’ll contact you later to confirm future meter upgrades.

If you choose not to upgrade to a digital water meter, please contact us.

If your meter is stolen or broken, contact us immediately so we can organise a repair or a replacement. 

The meter’s screen is generally off, to conserve battery life. You can activate the screen by pressing the button below it. 

If your meter’s display is still blank, contact us immediately so we can organise a repair or a replacement. 

Digital meters only collect your water usage data and don’t collect any personal information. The water usage data is digitised and encrypted and sent to our secure data centre. Hourly water usage data is stored on the meter for 50 days. A daily reading of the meter is stored on the meter for 1 year. No personal information is stored on the device.

To see your water usage data, log in or sign up for My Account, our online service portal. In MyAccount simply click on Usage to view your daily, weekly or quarterly water usage data. 

Each meter is tested rigorously and complies with National Measurement Institute standards prior to installation. As digital water meters provide more accurate water usage data, you may find slight differences in your quarterly bill. You can view daily, weekly and quarterly usage information in MyAccount.

If you have concerns about the meter’s accuracy, contact us so we can work with you to investigate possible causes.

Digital meters provide more detailed water usage data, which will allow you to manage your water use better. You may find slight differences in your quarterly bill as a result. You can view daily, weekly and quarterly usage information in MyAccount. 

 If you suspect you may have a leak you use our leak test to investigate water usage at your property.

No. You will still receive a quarterly bill.

Digital meters provide more detailed water usage data, which will allow you to manage your water use better.

You may find slight differences in your quarterly bill as a result.