Leveraging more accurate water-use data from the 9,300 water meters installed across the Masterton District has enabled Council to detect leaks more effectively and support homeowners to get them fixed, significantly reducing the amount of water lost over the past 12 months.
Previously, water loss through leaks was estimated using minimum night-time flow data. This method relied on standard industry assumptions that were subtracted from estimated or known water consumption, making it far less accurate.
Using the newly installed water meters, Council has been able to access real-time consumption data, providing a much clearer picture of water use across the district. This has enabled staff to identify and pinpoint properties that may have leaks and work directly with residents to address them.
Infrastructure Group Manager Tyler Ross said access to this information has allowed Council to better support the community in identifying and fixing water leaks.
"Using this information, we were able to provide water-use summaries to households and follow up with leak notification letters where consumption was unusually high. Our customer service team experienced a sharp increase in enquiries and service requests, but it helped kick-start the kōrero about leaks and how to get them fixed," he said.
"Our team worked closely with residents to help identify and resolve leaks, carrying out numerous onsite inspections, reassuring homeowners who were concerned about their water use, and helping customers recognise potential leaks on their properties."
"Helping people understand their water use has also led to quicker resolutions and improved community awareness around water conservation. It has given residents a better understanding of how water meters work and how they can use the information to monitor their own consumption."
One example involved a property with a significant leak located beneath a shared concrete driveway. Because there were no visible signs of water escaping, the issue was only detected through the water meter, which showed a large and continuous flow of water.
"You can make a pretty good guess from the graph below where the leak at the property was identified, and the dramatic change in water consumption once it was repaired," said Mr Ross.
"Being able to identify and fix these leaks helps us conserve and protect our water resources. If anyone has questions about their water-use summary, we encourage them to contact our customer service team," he said.
At year end (2025/26) real water loss has dropped to 15%, down from 30% in 2024/25; and water consumption has dropped to 345 litres/person/day (compared to 405 litres/person/day in 2024/25).
