WaterSmart

Digital metering will be offered to eligible non-residential customers with no existing digital metering or monitoring in place.
Westernport Water will fund and arrange:

• one or more data loggers to be installed at your site or multiple sites
• online access to the Vic Facilities portal to visualise water use at 15-minute intervals
• membership to the VicFacilities portal for an initial three-year period
• high water usage alerts to be sent by email to your designated facility manager(s) or contact person

Water monitoring can benefit your organisation by:

• allowing you to see how much water your organisation is using day to day, to help you identify ways to save water (and thereby reduce water bills and energy bills where hot water is reduced)
• detect any abnormal water usage almost immediately (i.e., sudden high-water usage during non-operational hours) to help identify leaks or malfunctioning equipment
• save money and reduce water wastage by allowing you to fix leaks and equipment quickly
• improve on your reporting obligations

VicFacilities installs data loggers and monitors water use at identified sites.

Installation is quick and easy with data loggers fitted in just minutes, there’s no need for the water to be turned off, so installation can happen at any time.

A data logger is a device that continuously records the data from a water meter. Once a data logger is attached to your site’s water meter via a probe called a read switch, it records the pulses of the water meter and transmits the data so it can be viewed on your dedicated VicFacilities website.

VicFacilities is a Victorian government initiative supporting businesses, councils and non-residential organisations to monitor water use.

Monitoring 360 sites to date, VicFacilities has helped save over 216 million litres of water. This equates to $793,000 in avoided water costs.

The VicFacilities website www.vicfacilities.com.au was developed to assist facility and property managers to interpret the information collected by the site’s data logger in a clear and engaging way.

When logging in to the website, users are able to access their water use information via a dashboard.

The site provides access to graphs and raw data showing the water consumption. This information can be used to assess water use trends over time and check for possible leakage or other forms of waste.

VicFacilities sites are monitored for possible leaks and high usage on a daily basis. If high water use is detected, an email alert is sent to the site’s contacts. The notices contain details of the amount of usage, usually at midnight when flows should be zero or near zero.
High water use alerts help your business to identify potential leaks or faulty equipment.

WaterSmart is targeted at high to medium water using non-residential customers including councils, hospitals, aged care facilities, organisations and industrial sites with large water-saving potential.

To be eligible, you must have an account with Westernport Water and be an owner or tenant that is directly responsible for the payment of water usage charges for the site and have written agreement from the landlord for the water monitoring to be undertaken.

You must also agree to the Mandatory Clauses out lined below.

• You agree that your water monitoring data is available to Westernport Water and/or the State for analysis
• You agree that Westernport Water and/or the State may contact you to participate in surveys, interviews and case studies and agree to be named in the media.
• You agree to submit a post-installation water monitoring report on a supplied form at 6 and 12 month that includes:
  ▪ Number of leaks found and fixed
  ▪ Water efficiency improvements made
  ▪ Water and bill savings achieved (if known)

Step 1: Westernport Water will invite you to join the WaterSmart Program.
Step 2: You sign up to VicFacilities through a form provided by Westernport Water.
Step 3: A VicFacilities service provider comes on-site and installs a data logger to your water meter(s).
Step 4: You will be sent login details to the VicFacilities web portal where you can see your water use. High water usage alerts will be sent via email.

Download the WaterSmart Program Flyer – Stream 1 & 2

Download the WaterSmart Program FAQ’s

Download WaterSmart Program – Customer Agreement – Stream 1 Water Monitoring

Download WaterSmart Program – Vic Facilities Agreement

Download WaterSmart Program Project Report – Stream 1 Water Monitoring

Water efficiency audits will only be offered to high to medium water using non-residential customers who have existing digital meter or monitoring in place.

Identified non-residential customers who already have digital metering or monitoring in place may be eligible for a detailed water audit by a professional auditor.

Water efficiency audits will help your organisation to identify ways to be more water efficient and potential cost savings. A water audit typically involves an assessment of your past and current water usage through water bills, site water monitoring data and on-site walk-through. The audit will identify all areas where water is being used and identify opportunities for more efficient usage.

Water efficiency audits provide your organisation with the potential to:

• reduce operational costs
• improve operational efficiencies by reducing water wastage
• avoid potential equipment damage or repair costs by identifying leaks
• reduce unnecessary potable water use and support sustainable consumption of local water resources.

The WaterSmart Program will fund one undetected leak identification service for eligible customers who have received a high-water usage alert and have confirmed no signs of visible water loss. A licensed plumber will conduct the leak detection, but repairs are not covered by the program.

Eligible customers must already have daily digital water monitoring in place (either via VicFacilities or other data logger or digital metering service). If you received funding for Stream 1 of the WaterSmart Program for Water Monitoring, you are also eligible to apply for funding under Stream 2 for a Water Audit or Undetected Leak Identification.

WaterSmart is targeted at high to medium water using non-residential customers including councils, hospitals, aged care facilities, organisations and industrial sites with large water-saving potential.

To be eligible, you must have an account with Westernport Water and be an owner or tenant that is directly responsible for the payment of water usage charges for the site and have written agreement from the landlord for the water audit or undetected leak identification service to be undertaken.

Your site and can only be funded for either a water audit OR undetected leak identification service, not both.

You must also agree to the Mandatory Clauses out lined below.

• If practical, any leaks identified within the leak detection report from the service provider must be repaired within 90 days of receiving the report.
• You agree that your water monitoring data and audit report is available to Westernport Water and/or the State for analysis
• You agree that Westernport Water and/or the State may contact you to participate in surveys, interviews and case studies and agree to be named in the media.
• If you have completed a Water Audit, you agree to submit a post-project report on a supplied form at 6 and 12 months that includes:

▪ Report on water efficiency improvements made (if any)
▪ Identify barriers to implementing water efficiency improvements identified in water audit
▪ Water savings achieved
▪ Bill savings achieved

• If you have completed an Undetected Leak Identification service, you agree to submit confirmation within 6 months of activity being funded:

▪ Confirmation that repairs of the leaks identified have been made
▪ Where repairs have not been made, advise the reasons
▪ Water savings achieved
▪ Bill savings achieved

Water Audit
Step 1: Westernport Water will invite you to join the WaterSmart Program.
Step 2: You can apply for a Water Audit or an Unidentified Leak Detection Service
Step 3: A qualified auditor comes on-site and conducts a thorough audit of your premises including inventory of all water using points; location/zone; flow rate; baseline water usage and a review of existing maintenance and use practices.
Step 4: The auditor provides a report which will include recommended water efficiency improvements and estimated annual water saving for each improvement.
Step 5: Implement any recommended water efficiency improvements identified in the audit (repairs, upgrades, improvements are the responsibility of the customer and are not covered under the WaterSmart Program)

Undetected Leak Identification
Step 1: If you’ve received a high-water alert, check your site and confirm there are no visible signs of water loss.
Step 2: Provide proof of your high water-usage alert to Westernport Water within 30 days of receiving it to apply for the Undetected Leak Identification Service.
Step 3: A qualified licensed plumber comes on-site and conducts a thorough audit of your premises to identify the leak or Westernport Water can re-imburse you if you have engaged your own contractor.
Step 4: The plumber provides a leak detection report with recommendations for repairs.
Step 5: Repair any leaks identified within the leak detection report from the service provider within 90 days of the report (repairs are the responsibility of the customer and not covered under the WaterSmart Program)

Download the WaterSmart Program Flyer – Stream 1 & 2

Download the WaterSmart Program FAQ’s

Download WaterSmart Program – Customer Agreement – Stream 2 Water Audit

Download WaterSmart Program Project Report – Stream 2 Water Audit

The initiative aims to assist 13 sites within the Westernport Water region by conducting comprehensive water audits, identifying opportunities to reduce potable water use, and implementing small-scale retrofits.

These audits will be carried out by qualified contractors and adhere to best practice guidelines, with funding available for necessary upgrades such as improved irrigation systems, turf enhancements, and water-saving fixtures.

Water efficiency audits, retrofits and upgrades provide your organisation with the potential to:

• Bring efficient, innovative water management solutions to community facilities, ensuring they are sustainable and fit for the future
• reduce operational costs
• improve operational efficiencies by reducing water wastage
• reduce unnecessary potable water use and support sustainable consumption of local water resources

The sporting ground audit can include the entire site boundary, including water use in any indoor facilities such as changerooms, spectator stands and club facilities to improve water efficiency across all sporting ground areas.

WaterSmart is targeted at high to medium water using non-residential customers with large water-saving potential. To be eligible for Stream 3 you must be an outdoor sporting ground that is maintained and used for active, organised sports; available for public and community use and operated or managed by a council or shire, Committee of Management or educational institution, Eligible sites include:

• Sports fields (oval, rectangular, diamond)
• Sports courts
• Bowling greens
• Public golf course
• Outdoor swimming pool
• Multi-type/use facilities

To be eligible, your site must be identified as a priority or key community asset by Westernport Water related to water use efficiency, drought preparedness or water security.

To be eligible, you must have an account with Westernport Water and be an owner or tenant that is directly responsible for the payment of water usage charges for the site and have written agreement from the landlord for the water audit, retrofit or upgrade to be undertaken. Sporting ground sites maybe natural or synthetic.

• You agree that your water monitoring data and audit report is available to Westernport Water and/or the State for analysis
• You agree that Westernport Water and/or the State may contact you to participate in surveys, interviews and case studies and agree to be named in the media.
• You agree to submit a post-project report on a supplied form at 6 and 12 months that includes:

▪ Report on water efficiency improvements made (if any)
▪ Identify barriers to implementing water efficiency improvements identified in water audit
▪ Water savings achieved
▪ Bill savings achieved

Step 1: Westernport Water will invite you to join the WaterSmart Program.
Step 2: An on-site water audit will be undertaken by an appropriately qualified auditor that is experienced in sustainable irrigation design, water/environmental auditing, and sports ground/turf/asset management.
Step 3: The audit will include inventory of all water using points; location/zone; flow rate; baseline water usage and a review of existing watering, maintenance and use practices.
Step 4: The auditor provides a report which will include recommended water efficiency improvements;  identification of opportunities to reduce or substitute potable water including opportunities to connect to recycled water sources or storm water; consideration of turf, soil, efficient irrigation design and estimated annual water saving for each opportunity.
Step 5: Westernport Water can fund or co-fund  the cost of upgrades and retrofits identified in the site audit report.

Download the WaterSmart Program Flyer – Stream 3

Download the WaterSmart Program FAQs

Download WaterSmart Program – Customer Agreement – Stream 3 – Sporting Grounds

Download WaterSmart Program Project Report – Stream 3 – Sporting Grounds