The New Zealand Smart Meter Market

Recent market sounding indicates that a wide range of smart water meters are available in the New Zealand market, with inline ultrasonic meters emerging as the predominant option for residential applications. This trend reflects a growing preference for meters with no moving parts, offering low maintenance requirements and greater accuracy at low flow rates.

In terms of communications, NB-IoT and LoRaWAN were identified as the primary network options. NB-IoT appears to be the dominant offering, leveraging established cellular networks, while LoRaWAN is still being expanded in many areas. Wireless M-Bus (MBus) is also available but is more commonly used in European markets.

Although inline meters were the most widely available form factor, concentric manifold-compatible smart meters are on the market, though options are limited. These include the Arad Gladiator and  Sensus 640MC which both have mechanical meters with an integrated digital registers and the Itron Aquadis, which uses a mechanical base meter and register with a Cyble 5A digital communication module.

These are mechanical meters with LoRaWAN connectivity. At present, there do not appear to be any NB-IoT-enabled concentric manifold solutions commercially available.

Some inline models, such as the Landis+Gyr W370 Pressure, offer additional functionality including pressure and leak detection, supporting utilities seeking enhanced network monitoring and diagnostics.

Communications Networks

The backhaul of meter reading data is central to any Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution, ensuring that consumption information is reliably transmitted from meters to the utility’s systems. Based on recent market soundings, there are two primary communications network options available in the New Zealand market:

LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network)

LoRaWAN in New Zealand is a low-power, wide-area network (LPWAN) technology primarily used for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, especially in sectors like utilities and smart cities. It allows for long-range communication with low power consumption, making it suitable for connecting a wide range of devices, particularly in remote or hard-to-reach areas

NB-IOT (Narrowband Internet of Things)

NB-IoT, or Narrowband IoT, is a low-power wide-area (LPWA) network technology designed for connecting low-power, low-bandwidth devices over cellular networks. It's a 3GPP standard (Release 13) that allows for massive machine-type communication, enabling a wide range of IoT applications. NB-IoT is known for its ability to provide extended coverage, deep penetration, and low power consumption, making it suitable for applications like smart metering, smart agriculture, and asset tracking

Wireless M-Bus (WMBus)

A third option is also available, Wireless M-Bus (WMBus), or Wireless Meter-Bus devices, which is a European standard (EN 13757-4) designed specifically for remote, wireless reading of utility meters such as gas, water, heat, and electricity. It supports automated data collection and transmission, enabling efficient consumption measurement and billing.

Data Analytics Systems

In the New Zealand market, water data management and analytics systems generally fall into three tiers.

• • High-end integrated platforms

  • Mid teir operational analytics systems

  • Basic meter data management tools

These are described in more detail below.

High-end integrated platforms

High-end integrated platforms such as Temetra Analysis and Aqualus Water provide full network monitoring, advanced meter data management, hydraulic modelling, leak pre-localisation, water loss analysis, revenue assurance, and event investigation, often with digital twin capability and integration to SCADA, GIS, and customer systems. These solutions deliver comprehensive operational visibility, smart network management, and strong decision-making support, but come with higher costs, significant setup requirements, and the need for skilled operators.

Mid Tier operational systems

Mid-tier operational analytics systems aggregate meter data and focus on targeted functions like leak detection, customer segmentation, and billing integration without the full modelling or event workflow capabilities of high-end systems. They are less complex, easier to implement, and still provide strong leak and revenue management benefits, though with more limited predictive capabilities and often requiring separate systems for advanced analysis.

Basic meter data management tools

Basic meter data management tools are often bundled with AMR/AMI head-end systems to handle meter reading, validation, and simple reporting. These low-cost, easy-to-deploy solutions meet core billing needs but offer minimal analytics, lack network-wide operational insights, and tend to support reactive rather than proactive water loss management.