Meet Steve, a dedicated plumber at SkillTech Sydney. Day in and day out, he’s out in the field, replacing old water meters across the city. With hundreds, if not thousands, of water meters needing replacement, it’s a routine job for Steve, but one that comes with hidden dangers.

Replacing a water meter might seem straightforward. The task involves simply removing the old meter and installing a new one. But what most people don’t realise is how hazardous this work can be.

Typically, water pipes are safe to touch because they’re grounded. This grounding allows any stray electricity to safely dissipate. However, when you disconnect a water meter or a section of the pipe, that grounding is broken. This can cause electricity to build up in the pipe, making it dangerous—potentially deadly—to touch. The pipe loses its safe path to the ground, allowing electricity to flow through it instead. This is why changing a water meter can be such a risky job, and it’s the very reason the Plumb Guard™ was invented.

Steve knows this all too well. “In the last five years, the Plumb Guard has saved my life three times,” he says.

One of those life-saving moments happened not long ago. Steve was on a routine job, replacing a water meter at a standard residential home. Everything seemed normal at first. He prepared the pipes, attached the Plumb Guard clamps, and performed a self-test. With the Plumb Guard now monitoring the pipes, he was ready to get to work.

Steve released the pressure in the pipes by shutting off the mains and turning on a nearby tap. With his protective gloves on, he started to unscrew the old water meter. As he worked, a small amount of water sprayed out, indicating there was still some pressure in the pipes. This was the critical moment—if there was going to be an electrical issue, the Plumb Guard would catch it now.

As he continued to unscrew the water meter, Steve noticed the water was unusually warm—a potential red flag. He double-checked that the Plumb Guard was functioning correctly and continued his work, which it was. Just 30 seconds later, the Plumb Guard’s loud 95dB alarm sounded, and lights began flashing. The water spraying from the pipes became very hot, and steam started to rise.

Steve immediately stopped what he was doing and called the utility electrician. When the electrician arrived, he discovered that the house’s solar power system was faulty and wasn’t grounding correctly. The system was only sending the dangerous 13 amps of electricity through the water meter when it was activated and generating electricity, which is why the Plumb Guard™ didn’t trigger right away. This intermittent flow of electricity meant the risk was constantly fluctuating, making it even more dangerous. Without the Plumb Guard, Steve might never have detected the current, and the consequences could have been fatal.

After the electrician fixed the fault, Steve reset the Plumb Guard and safely completed the water meter replacement.

That’s the incredible thing about Plumb Guard™, it continuously monitors for electrical currents, providing a vital layer of protection for those working on water pipes. Steve feels secure knowing the Plumb Guard is always there, watching over him as he works.