Itron Transforms Water Management in Australia with Wireless Fixed Network Deployment

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash.—November 10, 2011—Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI) announced today the full-scale roll-out of its advanced water metering solution in the city of Kalgoorlie, Australia. The Water Corporation of Western Australia, the principal supplier of water, wastewater and drainage services in Western Australia, is installing 13,500 Itron meters, network infrastructure and associated software as part of its project to manage the city's resources more effectively and provide greater control over water wastage.

Kalgoorlie is completely reliant on the state capital of Perth for its fresh water supply, which is delivered via a water pipeline nearly 600 kilometers long. With a population of 28,000 inhabitants and an isolated location—making it the largest urban centre in the Goldfields-Esperance region—water scarcity is an everyday reality.

The project will be the largest wireless fixed-network water metering solution deployment in Australia to date, making it a true reference point for the value of smart metering systems in the water-scarce region. Itron's smart metering infrastructure solution utilizes fixed network collection technology to remotely collect meter readings. The communication modules wirelessly transmit enhanced metering data to collection devices installed in the field. Data is then passed over the network to a centralized billing system at the utility.

The Water Corporation will have access to accurate and granular usage data that can be analyzed to help forecast and manage production capacity. Itron's solution detects, and subsequently alerts, the utility to leaks within the distribution system, improving efficiency and reducing water losses and associated costs. The fixed network solution also provides significant increases in operational safety—by eliminating manual reading of hard-to-access meters, risks to the Water Corporation's employees and contractors are significantly reduced.

"With its industry knowledge and experience in delivering smart systems, selecting Itron for our water management needs was the clear choice," commented project manager Garry Peach from the Water Corporation. "With fewer property intrusions, quick access to special readings, detailed consumption data for a future customer portal, this solution will help us provide the best possible service to our customers. Ultimately, our goal is to help customers understand their usage patterns and change consumption behaviors to use water more efficiently."

"Scarcity issues and the impact of prolonged droughts are intensified without proper resource management," explained Marcel Regnier, Itron president and COO, Water. "With this project, the Water Corporation has affirmed its commitment to its customers and to good stewardship of water in the region. We are proud to partner with the Water Corporation on this endeavour and look forward to its success."