Yarra Valley Water signs 15-year IoT device management deal

Yarra Valley Water has awarded a contract to TPG Telecom to manage up to 1 million industrial internet of things (IoT) devices that are to be deployed over the next five to 10 years.

The enormous IoT implementation will help the utility manage its 20,000 kilometre network of pipes.

TPG Telecom said the devices will measure flow, pressure and water quality, to help improve service reliability and responsiveness, and reduce water wastage.

The telco will use Nokia’s IMPACT device management platform. The platform covers IoT device onboarding and offboarding, security, with monitoring and management tools to keep devices online, updated, and optimised.

“Internet of things devices present a significant opportunity for the water industry to gain better visibility of asset networks," Yarra Valley Water managing director Pat McCafferty said.

"They will help us to detect leaks and minimise water wastage, which not only safeguards our precious resource but ultimately helps customers save money by reducing their usage.”

The NB-IoT network will connect:

• Digital water meters, which will let Yarra Valley Water contact customers if the utility detects leaking taps and appliances, or faulty irrigation systems. The digital metering will also help identify how customers can reduce water use;
• Water pressure sensors to detect when water is on or off, and network deficiencies such as when valves are not returned to the correct position following operational events;
• Sewer level sensors to help identify overflows, pipe blockages, and system capacity constraints.

The platform will also automate emergency and planned maintenance jobs, improving both response times and efficiency.

By minimising the need to deploy teams for technical site visits, TPG said this would reduce workplace health and safety risks.

Yarra Valley water said that its water and sewer mains are difficult to monitor underground.

The latest contract is part of a long-term project by Yarra Valley Water to add intelligence to its network.

Last year, the utility awarded KPMG a contract to provide an asset intelligence platform covering its IoT devices, and another to Telstra to provide connection management for the network.