September 24, 2013
George Warne September 24 th , 2013
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Defining ‘modernisation’
 Many supply systems throughout SE Australia starting to fail, but most customers believe
Government will always provide water.
 Drought 2006-2010 highlighted the value of water control systems
 Drop boards, Dethridge outlets etc are a thing of the past for a variety of 21 st C reasons ?
 Genuine option for farms to develop on-farm modernisation/storage options as an alternative to full shared system modernisation (needs to be investigated)
 Everyone will have a ‘critical’ list of what needs to be done- they will not be the same!
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Two out of three……..
Low infrastructure investment
High efficiency -90%+ great service
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What do customers want/need?
 Independence in supply- move to river pumps
 Water on time, every time
 365 day service?
 On-line ordering and real-time remote monitoring
 Availability of higher flow rates for short periods
 Consistent flow rates for new on-farm systems (to avoid expensive on-farm storage)
 But none of the above if it is not an affordable water supply
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What do water suppliers als o want
 Accurate, equitable, water metering, and in-system water measurement (including small customers)
 Reduced supply system losses
 System integrity (no leaks, no floods)
 Reduced labour costs
 Affordable operating and repair costs
 Remote sensing, control and automation
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Where does the money come from?
 Within the Murray Darling Basin there are clearly more opportunities**
 Generally customers reluctant to pay, despite benefits in modernisation for most
 Water savings have real value
 Governments everywhere keen to unload retail businesses. A dowry is an attractive option for
Government.
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What to modernise – and when??
 Not possible to modernise every outlet, in every channel, in every district?
 Decommissioning supply infrastructure is really hard and very unpopular
 Maintaining working assets to viable customers is difficult enough……….
 Governments, Boards and irrigators that are prepared to make some really tough decisions
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Modernisation in order……….
1. A genuine understanding of future customer demand? ( not by customer survey, unless pay-forservice))
2. Customer support (and understanding of why)
3. Supply systems that meet that demand
4. Measurement (meters too) at all key points
5. Better escape/outfall control
6. Gates that do not leak, and can be motorised
7. Measurement at all control points
8. Remote sensing at all key control points
9. Remote control of all supply assets
10. Full Automation
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variable service levels, off-peak pricing, priority pricing, first-class service, flow rate trading, rationing, winter premiums.
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