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Jason Miller from Southern Rural Water creates winning water solution with help of Maffra Sheet Metal

A metering officer at Southern Rural Water has designed a water meter bracket to be made by a regional Victorian steel fabricator that will improve the roll out of automated reading of water meters across southern Victoria.

By news@gippsland - 10th November 2022 - Back to News

Southern Rural Water started automating water meter reading devices across its region in 2015, but always struggled to find a consistent way to install them. Terry Clapham, Project Manager Metering Modernisation, said that's now been solved thanks to metering officer Jason Miller who created a prototype that's been turned into a working design by Maffra Sheet Metal.

Maffra Sheet Metal designed water meter reading device created by metering officer Jason Miller quicker and easier work

Solution through innovation

Terry said., "The new bracket design is the equipment that holds the Taggle transmitter unit - or "tag" - that allows us to remotely receive data from meters that record water use for irrigation and livestock."

Jason has been working for Southern Rural Water for 18 months and his invention will make it quicker and easier to roll out this technology. "Jason turned what he learned in the field into a practical solution and has shown through innovation how we can significantly change the way we do things safer and quicker with a better outcome," Terry said.

Maffra Sheet Metal built the bracket in a single piece. It's stronger and higher - the tag sits at the top of the bracket, with the height ensuring it can send the meter data via wireless signals.

Rolling out automated meter

Terry said the new bracket design delivers benefits to Southern Rural Water's team and customers because they're stronger and safer to install and can be just bolted on to our infrastructure. "Early on, star pickets were used, which runs a potential risk as you don't know what's underground."

"The new bracket gives the tag itself more protection and is easier to install; either to the left or right of the meter, and you just need two spanners. We've ordered 200 of the new tag brackets for the eastern region and they can potentially be adopted more broadly as we continue our automated meter reading roll out," Terry said.

Installing automated meter reading technology is part of broader water management policy, and an obligation Southern Rural Water must deliver as part of the Murray Darling Basin compact. We have already rolled this technology out to much of our meter fleet and plan to near completion of the program in the 2022-23 financial year.

Pictures from Google Maps.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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