Water  |  Yesterday

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Christchurch City Council has started installing smart water meters in parts of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula, prioritising areas where no water meters are currently in place.

The rollout will improve how the Council manages demand of the water supply, and will make it easier to identify and fix leaks.  

The Council’s Head of Three Waters Gavin Hutchison says installing meters in currently unmetered areas is also essential for equity and efficiency. 

“At the moment, some areas don’t pay excess water charges simply because there aren’t water meters,” says Mr Hutchison.  

“Once a property has a meter – especially a smart meter – we can detect leaks much earlier. This means issues can be fixed quickly, avoiding wasted water and water charges. 

“Opting out of the programme is not an option, as the rollout is critical to ensuring a resilient and efficient water network for the whole city. 

“Even careful water users can have hidden leaks. Water meters help identify these to support a fair and sustainable water use system for everyone,” says Mr Hutchison.  

We’ve already installed smart meters in Travis Country, Rāwhiti, Akaroa and Brooklands–Kainga. Work is now under way in Governors Bay and Heathcote, with Lyttelton, Diamond Harbour and Duvauchelle to follow.  

We’re also planning later stages of the programme including in Riccarton, Hackthorne, Ferrymead and other parts of Banks Peninsula.  

By mid-2027 we expect to have installed around 4,000 new water meters at properties that didn’t previously have a water meter, which will effectively mean the vast majority of Christchurch and Banks Peninsula will be metered.  

Find more information about the smart water meter project on our website.