WATER METER ANSWERS: Responses to our questions about ongoing billing issues

Newsport: Is this matter (the Port Douglas vacant block bill) being investigated by Council?

Lisa Scomazzon: Yes, the example raised by this resident is concerning and Council will be following up with the property owner directly. 

Council investigates all issues that have been raised. This can include flow testing at the meter to confirm its accuracy.

We encourage residents to check their water usage regularly via the MiWater App/website so they can better understand how much water is being used across different months and seasons.  Residents are also welcome to email [email protected] or talk to our staff at the Mossman administration building if they have any concerns or questions.

N: Further to Council’s previous email have there been any more reports of faulty smart water meters?

LS: Since March 7 Council has attended three properties following requests by customers. Testing revealed no faults with the meters at these properties.

N: Does Council admit that some ratepayers have been wrongly charged for water they did not use, and will refunds be considered - and/or have there already been some refunds? 

LS: Customers are encouraged to fill out a Concealed Leak Financial Assistance Application. Where issues are identified residents are provided with a refund. 

N: Has Council (and/or its contractors) installed one particular brand and model of smart water meter since the rollout began, or is there more than one?

LS: Council has entered into a contract following a public tender procurement process with Taggle for the supply of the Smart Water meters. Taggle is a well-known smart water meter supplier across Australia with proven products.

Any meters that are found to be faulty will be replaced under warranty. 

N: Is this type of meter or meters suited to the tropical conditions of far north Queensland?

Yes. The meters are used by many councils in similar tropical conditions such as Cassowary, Mareeba, Hinchinbrook and Townsville City Council.

N: We note that Honeywell - a major manufacturer of smart water meters in use in many areas of Australia - advises on its own website, for at least three of its popularly used models, that "the meter must be fully flooded with clean cold water at all times. No air or water/air mixtures should be allowed to flow through the meter, otherwise errors and damage may result." Does this advice also apply to the type of water meter now in use in Douglas Shire?

LS: Council’s water team says small amounts of air pushed through the pipe network during an outage will not impact on the performance of the meters.

N: Was the particular model/models of smart water meters comprehensively researched and found to be the most suitable for the climate and weather conditions in Douglas Shire, before the decision was made to purchase and go ahead with the installations of these meters?

LS: Yes. Council used a reputable and experienced engineering consultancy company to assess a broad range of water applications for our region. Council then went to the open market and found Taggle was the most suitable provided based on a rigorous tendering assessment.

N: Is Council confident that the majority, at least, of its smart water meters are accurate with their readings? 

LS: Yes. They are a verified water metering device that provides accurate information that can be accessed both by customers and Council. We encourage people with questions about their water consumption to speak to Council staff at our Mossman administration building. They will be able to assist with any questions they have about water notices, water usage and the online monitoring portal MiWater.

N: Also, Honeywell says that meters must have a reliable internet connection to read accurately. Is Council certain that all smart water meters in the Shire are connected via reliable internet infrastructure, and that the readings are true and accurate across all areas of Douglas?

LS: Yes; but no system is infallible to glitches.

On March 14 Taggle completed a software update and inadvertently introduced a defect which was not detected in its normal testing process. Taggle fixed this issue on March 21. 

More ratepayers seeking answers

A group of ratepayers has also been in touch with Newsport over similar issues concerning water billing using the smart meters and Council’s MiWater system. 

They have told us they’re seeking a meeting with Mayor Lisa Scomazzon as soon as possible, to discuss their various issues and hopefully have them investigated and resolved.