Free upgrade to next-generation technology for Canterbury farmers

Any farming operation is always looking for ways to do things smarter, to save time and effort and become more efficient. At Watermetrics we do the same when it comes to providing our farming customers with the technology they need to run their operations more efficiently.

As part of that constant focus on improvement we’ve decided to upgrade all Aquacom equipment throughout Canterbury. Monitoring Water Meters, Soil Moisture and Temperature data didn’t need to be in real time in the past – it was OK to have some delays. That’s not the case now, so we've been discussing ways to improve the data timelines, data reliability and the reliability of the Streats equipment. The result: we’re upgrading our communications equipment to the next generation of technology.

And the best part? For a limited time only for Canterbury farmers, it’s absolutely free in exchange for your old Aquacom unit.

In addition, farmers will enjoy other benefits, such as:

• 15 min data displayed every 15 min on the Watermetrics web portal
• 2 year warranty (RTB) on the new equipment
• Elimination of expensive Aquacom repair costs
• A means of adding inexpensive sensors without large capital outlay

The upgrade will allow us to better manage what farmers already have, as well as offering a lot more. It means farmers will get more out of their on-farm technology

Since making this offer public, we’ve had a lot of great feedback, some of which has raised a few interesting questions, including:

• What is quality of the replacement equipment?
  It has been designed and built in our Wellington office by a team of in-house electronics engineers. We have designed the new loggers to ensure they meet current NEMS requirements.
• Why is necessary to replace the Aquacom loggers?
  They’re old, with repair bills between $250 and $1,250. They only give data every hour, and aren’t reliable. The new loggers will give data every 15 minutes without fail.
• What about my existing flowmeters and sensors?
  We’re leaving them in place. If they’ve been paid for and they work, why bother replacing them with new equipment? If a AG200 Seametrics meter isn’t working, then we will suggest a replacement, but that will be the farmer’s choice – not ours.
• Will my annual charges change?
  No - they’ll stay the same for the next three years.
• Are you trying to squeeze the competition out?
  Not at all – we embrace competition to ensure farmers choice and the best possible outcomes. What we’re not happy about is farmers being continually let down by monitoring equipment that’s expensive to maintain and has frequent data gaps, leaving them exposed to Regional Council investigation.
• This offer sounds too good to be true?
  We’ve been frustrated with the equipment repair costs farmers have had to pay. The new equipment will make it easier for us, and easier for farmers. It is a one-time offer only and we believe it will also give farmers the flexibility to add other sensors at a lower cost in the future.

Farmers are rightly critical of companies not investing in the industry and keeping them up to date. This is a great example of switching out old unreliable networks and equipment for modern, state-of-the-art gear that will meet the competitive challenges of regulation and cost going forward.

If you’re keen to find out more what Watermetrics can do for your organisation, visit the website.