The new water meters, or "leak detectors", will be installed at a rate of 65 per day across Horowhenua, with work estimated to be completed by the end of 2025.
Shannon is the first Horowhenua town to get new water meters simply because it is leaking the most water.
Contractors are installing the meters at a rate of 65 a day, across 799 properties in Shannon.
Foxton and areas of Levin suspected of having high water loss will be next.
All 13,600 properties in Horowhenua will have new meters by the end of 2025.
Between 300 to 500 litres per property per day is being lost across the different water networks in Horowhenua, putting pressure on finite supplies.
An estimated 20 per cent of the region’s water supply is lost through leaks and the meters will help spot leaks, save water, and cut treatment costs.
Already 40 per cent of properties in Horowhenua have water meters. All of Foxton Beach has meters and it uses the least amount of water of any Horowhenua township.
All existing meters will be replaced by new digital meters, which have a lifespan of 15 years.
Horowhenua District Council chief executive Monique Davidson said the meters could reduce water use by up to 25 per cent.
“Not only will we be able to identify and remedy leaks, but as people become more conscious of their water consumption they are likely to adopt better water conservation habits.
“Districts with water meters are less likely to need water restrictions. Less demand means less water needing to be treated, and in turn, cost savings. We are expecting that once we identify and fix water leaks, that it will also have a positive impact on water restrictions.
“However, it’s crucial to note that in parts of our district, water restrictions are governed by consent conditions and river flow levels. While implementing water meters is a proactive step towards managing water demand, they may not singularly alleviate future water restrictions.“
Private property owners will be responsible for fixing leaks.
“We recognise that most people who have a water leak on their property are completely unaware. The water meters will help identify leaks and council officers will be able to offer advice and support on how to fix them,” Davidson said.
Households leaks were likely to be a result of small leaks, like a leaky tap or toilet, or a major leak in an underground pipe.
Regular meter reading allowing a comparison of historical water use could help determine which.
Previously, water meters were installed mainly outside commercial and industrial premises, properties with swimming pools, educational and health facilities, retirement villages, properties with agricultural use, and properties with past leaks.
Improved monitoring meant any problem could be flagged immediately, replacing the current quarterly manual reading system whereby residents were first alerted to a leak via a hefty quarterly bill.
Previously, when a leak was detected, it was reviewed again after three months, so it was actually taking nine months to confirm and remedy a leak.
HDC Water service engineer Albert Hoffmann said a dripping tap could lose up to200 litres of water daily. A 2020 leak survey identified 65 private-side leaks accounting for 350,000 litres per day.
Hoffmann said one example of an undetected underground leak was at a Shannon property a few years ago. Locals had assumed it was a historic natural watercourse that haemorrhaged an estimated 125,000 litres a day.
There were also high labour costs involved in reading meters manually. Eventually the region’s rubbish collection trucks, which visit households weekly, will be fitted with meter reading technology, using radio antennae that could read a meter from a distance of 100m.
Residents could also download a free Antenno phone app that sends alerts and notifications. The app can be downloaded from the App Store or on Google Play; just search ‘Antenno’.
The prompt return of data would also signal immediately whether remedial work had been successful in fixing a leak.
Property owners should not be worried about increased costs. A cubic metre of water (1000 litres) equates to approximately 4000 glasses of water, 167 toilet flushes, 22 five minute showers, 11 baths, 10 full loads of washing or an hour watering with a sprinkler.
WATER CONSERVATION TIPS
In homes, most water is used for showering, washing clothes and flushing the toilet. Simple habits to conserve water include:
Police are appealing for more information.