$23.6m to support modernisation of non-urban water meters in NSW

The NSW Government is continuing its rollout of non-urban metering reform with a new funding commitment of $23.6 million from the NSW Government to assist water users in transitioning to telemetry-based metering.

Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said that water users who transmit their water take information via NSW’s telemetry system will receive a rebate, applied to water bills, to help accelerate the uptake of telemetry.

“The NSW Government has completed major reform in water management over the last few years, and the modernisation of water metering and monitoring has been a key part of this reform,” Mrs Pavey said.

“For many water users, the last few years have seen a huge change in how they report their water usage, and we recognise there can be significant costs involved in ensuring compliance with new rules.

“We’ve heard these concerns and are now providing funding to help offset these costs and to provide a financial incentive for water users to install a telemetry device and transmit water use data remotely.

“Telemetry is the most efficient way of providing near real-time information on water take and will increase community confidence in monitoring and compliance, and provide farmers and irrigators with vital, up-to-date information on their water usage.”

Minister Pavey said $9 million will fund a rebate for water users switching to telemetry and $14.6 million will support the upgrading of government-owned meters.

“We recognise there are benefits of telemetry for water users, government and the broader community, and will be funding a rebate for water users who make or have already made the switch,” Mrs Pavey said.

“Additional funding is being provided to ensure government-owned meters in some regions of NSW comply with the new non-urban water metering framework.

“For water users still recovering from the drought this will be a great relief, and provide an incentive for more, earlier take-up of telemetry across NSW.”

The NSW Government funding will complement a further $12.5 million being invested by the Federal Government to boost metering and telemetry in northern NSW. Together these programs will ensure water users across the entire state will benefit.

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