Innovative GMW condition monitoring system provides big benefits

21/10/2026 12:00:00 AM

An innovative new condition monitoring system will help Goulburn-Murray Water (GMW) repair equipment faults faster, reduce costs and maintain reliable water delivery for customers.

GMW's Electrical and Mechanical Services team recently piloted the system at the water corporation's Tungamah pump station in northern Victoria.

The system was created by the team fitting vibration sensors to the station's pump motors and linking them to motor and power monitoring panels at the site as well as several artificial intelligence (AI) programs.

The AI programs analyse information from the sensors and panels to give the team a clearer picture of pump behaviour.

GMW Manager Electrical and Mechanical Services Craig Rowden said the programs provided valuable insights to staff.

"The AI monitors the pumps around the clock for signs of change," he said.

"It identifies unusual patterns and alerts our team, who assess the information and respond when needed.

"Put simply, this is a human-led condition monitoring system assisted by AI. The information helps our staff better understand equipment condition and respond quickly to faults."

The system gives staff earlier warnings and more time to prevent failures. It will assist staff to respond to issues such as hidden deterioration, unplanned outages, short fault notices and ageing assets in a much more efficient way.

Mr Rowden said the pilot proved its value in late September when the system detected critical vibration levels in Tungamah's Main Pump 1.

"Our electrical staff assessed the alert and stopped the pump before it failed catastrophically," he said.

"When staff dismantled the pump, they found significant shaft wear and badly worn bearings.

"Our Workshop team is now making new shafts for the pump."

The condition monitoring system detected the issue, alerted the team and enabled staff to isolate the pump in just eight minutes.

Before the pilot, staff relied on manual inspections and often detected faults only after they occurred.

"This new system lets us predict faults and plan our response properly," Mr Rowden said.

"At Tungamah, we detected the issue with Main Pump 1 within eight minutes and resolved it for less than $500.

"Previously, manual inspections could take two to three weeks to identify a fault because staff are travelling to many different jobs and sites across northern Victoria.

"Without the new system, Main Pump 1 would likely have destroyed itself and cost more than $40,000 to replace."

GMW is investigating where best to extend the new condition monitoring system to other priority equipment across its network.

GMW General Manager Infrastructure Delivery Services Alan Shea said this new system demonstrated the water corporation's commitment to embracing technology and innovation and adapting its services and leveraging its assets.

"This project is a great showcase of how we're actively adopting and integrating technologies that improve how we work," he said.

"It increases efficiency, reduces costs and helps us return crucial equipment to service sooner.

"It will also help us continue delivering water to customers reliably and on time.

"The project shows what our staff can achieve when they combine their expertise with AI-assisted information."