Water meter readings

The City’s AMI programme is a complex, large scale, strategic initiative of the Water and Sanitation Directorate aimed at improving the management of water resources and services through the replacement of existing traditional mechanical water meters with a smart metering solution.

Over the next decade, a large portion of the City’s more than 680 000 mechanical water meters will be replaced by AMI ultrasonic meters, along with the necessary supporting infrastructure. This shift to a digital and automated system will allow for better water management, improved meter reading accuracy, early leak detection and, ultimately, a more sustainable water future for all.

Smart water meters measure water consumption with improved accuracy. They are able to provide early alerts of potential leaks thus helping to optimise water management, for both the City and residents.

How do AMI digital meters work?

Smart meters work by recording water usage on an ongoing basis using advanced digital measurement technology. It can also detect and send alerts for events such as leaks or unusual usage.

This consumption data is sent daily via cloud technology to the City’s Water and Sanitation Directorate for monitoring and billing.

Once the programme is live, you will be able to monitor your daily consumption through the City's app, allowing you to manage your water usage efficiently, and detect leaks early, which means no more surprises on your water bill, ultimately saving you money.

Read our FAQs document.

If you have not yet been allocated an AMI digital meter, you can help us get an accurate reading for your traditional water meter by doing the following:

• Make sure you know where your water meter is.
• Make sure it is not obstructed (e.g. by sand or weeds) and is easy to read.
• Your water meter should be accessible to our officials at all times.
• If your water meter is behind locked gates, or if dogs prevent the meter readers from taking a reading, you can submit the reading yourself (see below).
• Alternatively, ask us to relocate your meter to the outside of your house, via our Report a fault tool.