Telstra has partnered with enterprise software vendor Software AG to develop a digital automated water management solution.

The solution is based on Telstra’s internet of things platform and Software AG’s Cumulocity IoT solution accelerator for water management, aiming to provide utilities with a way to gain insights from meter data.

A trial is in place for Western Australia’s Busselton Water, with the aim of managing its water system and optimising power consumption for the water distribution system.

“With water being such a scarce resource, the use of digital technology to help us better monitor and manage our system will be a huge benefit to our business,” Busselton Water chief executive Chris Elliott said.

“This is not just in the conservation of water, but in the provision of more reliable, cost-effective water services to our consumer and business customers.”

The solution collects available sensor data like pressure, consumption, and alerts such as pressure drops through cloud-based digital water meters. It also offers off-the-shelf tools for monitoring and managing the collected data.

“Water conservation and management is a top priority for many countries, cities and remote areas and we are excited to be helping create a solution that will address this,” Software AG head of IoT for ANZ Tony Drewitt said.

“Combining digital meters, dedicated pressure sensors and Telstra’s NB-IoT network with our IoT analytics solution, we are able to deliver true water management-as-a-service.”

Telstra will offer the product to water utilities across Australia either on a standalone basis or as part of its “IoT for Intelligent Utilities” package.

"Telstra and Software AG are pleased to be working with Busselton Water on this proof of concept. Given Busselton Water are already using radio frequency metering for customers, they are well-placed to test our water management solution,” Telstra global IoT solutions executive Gerhard Loots said.

“Telstra’s IoT for Intelligent Utilities will allow water utilities to better interpret and utilise the data they receive from the digital meter sensors that operate on Telstra’s NB-IoT network.”