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About To Tatou Vai - Our water

To Tatou Vai is a water authority established to manage Rarotonga’s drinking water supply. Focused on ensuring sustainable access to clean water for all residents, the organisation oversees the island’s water infrastructure, addressing challenges such as limited resources, ageing systems, and the impacts of climate change. Their work is guided by the principles of equity, conservation, and resilience, ensuring a secure water future for the Rarotonga community.

Project overview

Rarotonga faces growing challenges from climate change, including limited water resources and an ageing water infrastructure. Recognising the urgent need for action, Vodafone in partnership with local authority partnered with ADR and the Axioma meter to transform the island’s water management system, ultrasonic water meters were introduced to modernise water monitoring and management, bringing cutting-edge technology to the heart of Rarotonga’s infrastructure.

The initiative aimed to improve water resource efficiency, reduce waste, and provide residents with more accurate information. Real-time water usage data now empowers the island to tackle inefficiencies, safeguard its water supply, and enhance resilience in the face of climate change.

Challenge

Prolonged droughts lasting up to three months, and no data collection methods, were contributing to significant water wastage and rising costs. Accurate, real-time data was critical to identifying leaks, managing consumption, and ensuring a reliable water supply amidst the mounting pressures of climate change.

Solution

ADR collaborated with Rarotonga Vodafone to implement a robust, technology-driven water management solution designed to meet the water authorities' pressing needs.

The solution centred around ultrasonic water meters — innovative devices that collect real-time water low flow data and transmit it to the cloud multiple times daily using Vodafone’s LoRa networks. This technology empowers to monitor water consumption in real-time, enabling faster leak detection, enhanced billing accuracy, and smarter water management.

To support this, Vodafone also introduced automated meter readings using a cloud-based solution that allows residents and businesses to access their water usage data. This transparency makes it easier to track consumption, identify inefficiencies, and encourage conservation.

Objectives: driving efficiency and sustainability

The project aimed to address key water management challenges with clear, actionable goals:

Real-time water tracking: Provide accurate, up-to-date data on water usage across the island.
Fairer billing: Ensure accurate and transparent billing with smart meters that record precise consumption.
Water conservation: Empower residents to monitor and manage their water usage, particularly during dry seasons.
Proactive leak detection: Identify and address leaks quickly to minimise water loss and resource wastage.

Key goals achieved: transforming water management and ensuring long-term sustainability in Rarotonga

This water metering project transformed how Rarotonga manages its water resources. ADR delivered on its objectives by achieving the following:

Better water management: With real-time data from the smart meters, water usage can now be tracked across the island. This allows for better resource allocation and reduces inefficiencies, ensuring the island’s water system operates smoothly and sustainably.
Accurate billing: The introduction of smart meters has allowed To Tatou Vai to implement a billing system for water. Residents and businesses pay for their water, fostering fairness and improving trust in the billing system.
Encouraging conservation: The project has inspired more sustainable water use by giving residents access to their water consumption data. This has been particularly effective during Rarotonga’s dry season, where conserving water is essential.
Faster leak detection: The system detects leaks quickly, helping utilities address issues before they escalate. This has not only reduced water waste but also minimised repair costs and service interruptions.
Building long-term sustainability: The enhanced system equips Rarotonga to handle the growing challenges of climate change. The island is now more resilient, using its water resources efficiently while ensuring a consistent supply for the future.
Building long-term sustainability: With these smart meters, Rarotonga is more resilient to climate change, using water more wisely and keeping supplies steady year-round.

Results and impact: fairer billing, increased conservation, and smarter water management in Rarotonga

The impact of this project is already evident:

Fairer billing: Smart meters will eliminate billing surprises by providing accurate, real-time usage readings.
Conservation: With clear visibility into their water use, residents are conserving more, especially during droughts.
Leak detection efficiency: Faster leak identification means fewer resources wasted and quicker repairs.
Smarter water management: Utilities and residents have better tools and insights to plan for sustainable water use.
Greater community awareness: Access to water usage data has encouraged a cultural shift towards more mindful, sustainable water habits.

What the team had to say

The introduction of inline water meters has been transformative for water management in Rarotonga. Real-time data has enabled quicker responses to leak and inefficiencies, and the online portal has empowered residents to take control of their water use.

Basil Vrizonis, Sales & Development, highlighted the importance of the project:

When water is in short supply, people often turn to unsafe alternatives, which poses serious health risks. Getting these meters in place was critical — many people don’t realise just how much water they use until they see the data.

Bruce Franks, Sales & Development Manager, added:

This project isn’t about adding costs; it’s about cutting waste. By using water more efficiently, we can ensure a reliable supply for everyone, all year round.

This initiative sets a benchmark for sustainable water management across other islands, showcasing how technology, data, and community engagement can come together to address climate challenges and water scarcity. The focus wasn’t just on deploying smart meters — it was about fostering smarter decision-making and encouraging collective responsibility for conserving a vital resource.

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