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Digital Water Meter Reading and Management Platform

Solution Overview

The City of Ekurhuleni has implemented a comprehensive water meter management system that provides residents with real-time access to their consumption data and enables direct submission of meter readings through digital platforms. This approach addresses water conservation challenges while improving billing accuracy and reducing revenue losses from unmeasured consumption.

Technical Components

The technical infrastructure includes physical water meters integrated into the municipal billing system, enabling automated revenue generation from water usage.[1] The digital platform operates through the #MyCOE App, which allows residents to capture and upload images of their meter readings directly for submission to the city.[2] The City of Ekurhuleni will soon implement a new meter reading system that has been developed to allow its customers to directly send their water and electricity meter readings to the City on time.[3] SMEC South Africa has been appointed by the City of Ekurhuleni for the management of the City's Water Meter Processes in the following regions within Gauteng Province: Germiston, Katlehong, Boksburg, Edenvale, Vosloorus and portions of Tembisa.[4]

Implementation Details

The City of Ekurhuleni installed 2,175 water meters between January and June 2025, which are now integrated into the billing system.[1] The water meter management project was due to run until June 2023, resulting in a two and a half year appointment for the contracted management services.[4] Municipal authorities encourage customers to register on the convenient self-service water meter management system to capture their readings from home for accurate, up-to-date and not estimated billing.[2] The implementation spans multiple regions across Gauteng Province, including Germiston, Katlehong, Boksburg, Edenvale, Vosloorus and portions of Tembisa.[4]

Benefits and Impacts

The implementation has successfully reduced non-revenue water from 29.84% in June 2024 to 28.94% in 2025, which is below the international average of 30% non-revenue water.[1] The integrated billing system enables revenue generation from water usage through the newly installed meters.[1] Residents benefit from accurate, up-to-date billing that eliminates estimated charges through the self-service meter management system.[2]

Climate Adaptation Relevance

This water metering system addresses climate adaptation challenges by enabling more efficient water resource management during periods of drought and water scarcity. Real-time consumption feedback helps residents adjust their usage patterns in response to climate-driven water availability constraints, building community resilience to extreme weather events that threaten municipal water supplies.

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