Smart Water Management in Wellington: How Advizzo Helped Drive Savings and Engagement
The Greytown Smart Water Meter (SWM) Trial, conducted by Wellington Water in partnership with Greater Wellington Regional Council, set out to explore how smart meters could enhance water management across the region. As one of the key partners, Advizzo played a crucial role in customer engagement, behavioral analytics, and personalized communication strategies, leading to significant water savings and operational efficiencies.
Why Smart Meters?
Traditionally, most residential properties in the Wellington region were unmetered, making it challenging to monitor water usage and detect leaks effectively. More than 60% of New Zealand is already metered, and cities like Auckland and Christchurch have reported significant reductions in water loss and consumption after implementing smart meters. The Wellington metropolitan councils acknowledged the need for improved water conservation and included residential metering in their 2024-34 Long-Term Plans.
The Role of Advizzo in the Greytown Smart Meter Trial
As part of the pilot project, Advizzo provided customer engagement solutions, a digital portal, and personalized home reports, helping residents track their water consumption and detect potential leaks. By leveraging behavioral science and AI-driven analytics, Advizzo encouraged sustainable water usage habits while enabling more efficient leak management.
Key Results and Water Savings
The trial included 250 smart meters installed across Greytown, collecting real-time consumption data and offering insights into customer behavior. The impact was impressive:
- 20.2% reduction in water usage among metered households.
- 19.8% of total water flow was identified as private property leaks, which were detected early and rectified.
- A total of 8.6 million liters of water saved due to leak detection and repairs.
- The Advizzo customer portal saw a 97% engagement rate, with 29% of customers signing up for an online account.
- Monthly home reports provided neighborly comparisons, personalized water-saving tips, and leak alerts, reinforcing behavioral change.
Leak Management and Customer Engagement
One of the most critical aspects of the trial was leak detection and notification. Using smart meter data, Advizzo’s system identified 211 separate domestic leak incidents, many of which were quickly repaired after customers were notified via home reports and direct communications.
The trial also revealed key findings about minimum night flows (MNF), a method used to estimate network water losses. The data indicated that a significant portion of night-time water usage was due to undetected leaks, further validating the importance of smart meter rollouts.
Behavioral Insights: The Power of Data-Driven Engagement
A major success factor in the trial was how data transparency influenced customer behavior. Advizzo’s approach to behavioral nudging through digital engagement helped residents take proactive actions to fix leaks and reduce unnecessary water use.
- Customers with high water usage were 3x more likely to reduce their consumption after seeing how they compared to neighbors.
- Early leak notifications helped customers save an average of 1,559 liters per day in properties experiencing continuous water loss.
- Survey data showed that customers appreciated the ability to monitor their usage in real time, reinforcing the value of smart meters.
Looking Ahead: Scaling Smart Metering Across Wellington
With the success of the Greytown trial, Wellington Water is now progressing a business case for region-wide smart meter implementation. The trial demonstrated that real-time data, AI-powered insights, and behavioral science can drive significant improvements in water conservation.
Key Takeaways
✅ Smart meters reduce water waste by detecting leaks early and providing real-time consumption insights.
✅ Customer engagement is crucial—when residents are informed and empowered, they take action.
✅ Behavioral nudging through personalized reports and neighbor comparisons leads to lasting changes in water usage habits.
✅ Technology alone isn’t enough—data-driven engagement solutions like Advizzo’s customer portal are essential for maximizing impact.
As Wellington continues to face increasing water shortages and the effects of climate change, the success of the smart meter trial proves that digital engagement and behavioral science can play a critical role in sustainable water management.
Interested in learning more about how Advizzo helps utilities optimize resource efficiency? Get in touch with our team today! 🚀💧