Melbourne VIC
Australia
Site Profile
The University of Melbourne is a prestigious public research university in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it’s the country’s second-oldest university, and today hosts more than 64,000 students and staff. In addition to numerous historic and modern buildings, the thriving campus is home to vast lawns, lush gardens, and several groves of mature trees.
The university’s irrigation contractor, Reliable Plumbing Services (RPS), has supported the institution for more than four decades. RPS manages both day-to-day operations and preventive maintenance programs on campus. As a multigenerational partner of the university, RPS seeks out the latest irrigation management technology and best practices for water efficiency to preserve the grounds.
Many small, separately controlled irrigation systems were installed near specific buildings and outdoor areas as the university expanded over time. However, this patchwork of standalone systems stretched the staff’s ability to efficiently manage the landscape and save water. Aging conduits, new hardscape installations, and wire degradation were additional obstacles in the challenge to maintain sustainable, effective irrigation across campus.
The need for a new irrigation control solution to preserve the beauty and functionality of the campus became a top concern for the administration. To protect resources and reduce costs, the university wanted a different approach that delivered central control of multiple sites, more water savings, and the latest technologies — with minimal disruption to the grounds.
With a range of benefits for smart irrigation, from multi-site management to 24/7 system monitoring, Hydrawise Software became the university’s control platform of choice. RPS installed 81 Hydrawise-enabled irrigation controllers — including the powerhouse HCC and versatile Pro-HC — plus dozens of HC Flow Meters to centrally manage more than 1,000 irrigation zones on campus. Together, this setup provided a single water-efficient solution, eliminating the need for staff to monitor and maintain individual, standalone systems.
To help the current system expand without costly and invasive trenching, RPS also installed more than 40 Wireless Valve Links throughout the property. This approach ensured easy control of distant solenoid valves that were previously served by battery-operated controllers. Solar Repeaters helped to extend the wireless range and overcome obstacles like hardscape while extending line-of-sight communications between the controllers and the valves.
Today, Hydrawise Software and Wireless Valve Links work together to deliver a state-of-the-art irrigation solution that maximises water savings, controls costs, and keeps maintenance staff focused on the most important priorities.
“Hydrawise is brilliant, and now with the Wireless Valve Link, it’s a game changer,” said RPS contractor Drew Bennett. “We can manage a lot more of the irrigation system on our central platform and make changes more easily and with data to back up our decisions.”
Above all, this innovative technology provides constant protection for the expansive gardens and heritage trees that define this distinguished institution — all from one powerful platform.