Water utility contractor software for pipe repairs, meter work and network maintenance

For contractors serving Malaysia's state water operators, and the operators' own distribution teams: every burst, meter change, valve, hydrant and reservoir visit on record, timed and signed.

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Updated 15 Oct 2026

FieldEx scheduling board on desktop with a technician's inspection checklist open on the mobile app, as used by water utility crews

FieldEx is field service management and maintenance management (CMMS) in one system for water utility contractors and operators in Malaysia. It times pipe repairs against the operator's KPIs, raises meter and network jobs in bulk, keeps each valve, hydrant, pump station and reservoir on a located record, and tracks permits and crew competencies.

What FieldEx does for water utility contractors and distribution teams

Contractors to operators such as Air Selangor, PBAPP or Ranhill SAJ work to targets set in their contracts and by the National Water Services Commission (SPAN). FieldEx keeps those targets, the jobs and the evidence together. Book a demo with one of your work packages.

The network, asset by asset

Valves, hydrants, meters, air valves, pump stations, balancing reservoirs and service tanks each on their own record.
Each record holds its asset tag, size, material, install date, photos and coordinates, in asset management.
Pump stations as parent assets, with pumps, motors, panels and gensets as components.
The operator's own asset numbers kept in renamed identifier fields, shown on web and mobile.
QR or barcode labels on above-ground assets, opening the record and its checklist when scanned.

Repair jobs against the operator's KPIs

Response and repair clocks with stages and breach alerts, set per pipe size or work type, in scheduling and dispatch.
Jobs routed by skill, availability, shift, leave, service zone and the crew's live position.
A drag-and-drop scheduler to move crews when a big burst comes in.
Repair checklists that raise follow-up jobs for flushing, road reinstatement and site clearance.
Overdue visits rescheduled automatically after the period you set.

Meter and connection work in volume

Meter replacements and new connections raised in bulk from an uploaded list of accounts or addresses.
Old and new meter details and readings entered on the job form by the technician.
Each meter keeps its install date, location and every change on its record.
Emails and alerts to the people you choose at each point in a job.

Planned network maintenance

Valve exercising, hydrant checks, air valve servicing and reservoir inspections raised automatically on their cycles.
Calendar, running-hour or whichever-first triggers for pumps and gensets, in preventive maintenance.
Weekly pump station visits on a site plan, with overdue visits rescheduled automatically.
Repair checklist answers that raise the follow-up jobs for flushing, sampling and reinstatement.

Permits, registrations and crew competence

Your SPAN permits and contractor registrations tracked with renewal dates and automatic reminders.
Crew skills named after certificates, such as confined-space entry or a SPAN permit type, with expiry dates.
Only crews holding the right skill are assigned the job.
Subcontractors work in their own logins, seeing only the jobs that involve them.

Crews on site

Today's jobs, the asset's history and a map of the job location on the phone.
Jobs and tasks downloaded for offline work, with check-in, check-out and travel synced afterwards.
Watermarked photos and video, fittings used from the van and the supervisor's signature.
English, Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese in the web and mobile apps, on the FieldEx mobile app.

Stores and fittings

Stock in each depot and each van, with transfers and approvals between them.
Clamps, couplings, pipes, valves and meters with movement history and low-stock alerts, in spare parts inventory.
Depot buildings, plant and vehicles kept as assets with their own maintenance plans.

Reports the operator asks for

Job sheets as PDFs with location, asset, work done, fittings, times on site, photos and signature.
KPI results, repeat jobs and repair times by zone, pipe size or crew, in reporting and analytics.
Network and job data can be hosted in Malaysia when data residency is required.

What repair times does SPAN set for burst pipes?

The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) sets key performance indicators (KPIs) for every water service licensee in Peninsular Malaysia. PBAPP, Penang's water operator, has published them. Repairs to communication pipes and to pipes below 200 mm have a 24-hour target, pipes of 200 to 600 mm have 36 hours, and mains above 600 mm have 48 hours.

Operators report against these targets. Ranhill SAJ's 2022 sustainability report shows a 95% target for each repair category. PBAPP has published an example of a 300 mm main repaired in 6 hours against the 36-hour KPI.

A hydrant out of service is a fire risk. Record its status the moment it fails inspection.

Pipe	SPAN repair target
Communication pipe	24 hours
Below 200 mm	24 hours
200 to 600 mm	36 hours
Above 600 mm	48 hours

Source: PBAPP, quoting SPAN's KPIs.

What FieldEx does about it

A clock per pipe size: each repair job can carry the SLA for its pipe category, with stages such as attend, isolate and restore, and alerts before a breach.
The report already built: repair times by category, zone and crew come straight out of the jobs, ready for the operator's monthly review.
Evidence of restoration: check-in and check-out times, photos of the repaired pipe and the supervisor's signature show when supply came back.
Crews moved fast: the scheduler shows who is nearest and free, and reassigning a job notifies the crew at once.

How big is Malaysia's non-revenue water problem?

The Star, quoting SPAN, reported that non-revenue water (NRW) across Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak stood at 37.1% in 2025. SPAN's stated aim is to bring national NRW down from 37.2% in 2023 to 25% by 2030.

Performance varies widely. In SPAN's figures reported by Sinar Daily, NRW ranges from 11.1% in Kuala Lumpur to 62.3% in Perlis, with Johor at 24.0% and Selangor at 26.8% in 2025. Kuala Lumpur's level shows what sustained investment can achieve.

Every leak fixed and every meter changed is an NRW result. Record it so the operator can count it.

Split the valve list into critical and non-critical, and give each group its own plan.
FieldEx raises the jobs on cycle, by zone, so a crew works one area at a time.
The crew records turns to close, direction and condition on the job form.
A valve that won't operate becomes a repair job and stays flagged until it's done.

What FieldEx does about it

Leak repairs by district metered area: each repair carries its zone, so reports show which areas generate the most jobs and where pipe replacement would pay off.
Repeat leaks flagged: the same job type on the same asset within your set number of days is flagged as a repeat, pointing to a pipe that needs replacing, not patching.
Meter changes counted: meter replacement jobs record old and new meters, giving the operator a clean list of what was changed and when.
Work packages by zone: leak repair and meter jobs are grouped by zone and routed to crews already working there.

What permit does a contractor need to work on water supply systems?

Section 50 of the Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655) says no one may repair or connect pipes from the public mains, build or modify any part of a water supply system, or maintain one, without a written permit from SPAN. The Water Services Industry (Permit) Rules 2007 split these permits into types.

An IPA Type A permit covers construction, connection, modification and repair of pipes and fittings from the public mains. Type C covers construction or modification of the water supply system, and Type D covers maintenance services that don't involve operating it. Permit holders must also keep their registration as a registered contractor where required.

Meter size	Test interval
5/8 and 3/4 inch	Every 10 years
1 to 2 inch	Every 4 years
3 inch	Every 2 years
4 inch and larger	Every year

Source: New Hampshire Puc 600 periodic meter testing rules.

What FieldEx does about it

Permits with renewal dates: each SPAN permit and contractor registration is tracked as a licence for your company, with its own renewal schedule and automatic reminders.
Crews matched to permits: crew skills can carry the permit type or registration they work under, with an expiry date, and FieldEx only assigns jobs to crews holding the right skill.
Subcontractors under your permit: subcontractors get their own accounts, limited to the jobs that involve them, so their work sits under your records.
Proof for the operator's audit: every job shows who did it, when and where, with photos, so a permit audit has evidence to look at.

What asset records must a water operator keep?

The Water Services Industry (Licensing) Regulations 2007, regulation 12(1)(a), require every individual licensee to develop and maintain a comprehensive and detailed register of all water supply assets, with the diagrams or plans SPAN requires. Regulation 12(1)(d) requires key staff, agents and subcontractors to hold the qualifications SPAN specifies.

Section 49 of Act 655 adds that no part of a water supply system may be operated except by people holding the prescribed qualifications. For a contractor, that means the operator will ask for both asset records and crew credentials.

Every leak repair and meter change is an NRW action. Record it so you can show where the losses went.

What FieldEx does about it

An asset register that crews update: every valve, hydrant, meter and pump station has its own record with coordinates, and crews add photos and condition from site.
Plans and drawings attached: network drawings, as-built plans and manuals attach to the asset or site they belong to.
Change history kept: every edit to an asset record is logged with who made it and when.
Qualifications on file: crew certificates sit on their skills with expiry dates, and your company's licences carry renewal reminders.

Who repairs a leaking pipe: the water operator or the owner?

Section 36(3) of Act 655 says a water distribution licensee's duty to maintain the public water supply system runs up to the end of the communication pipe. Section 36(4) adds that the licensee bears the cost of repairing, replacing and maintaining the communication pipe.

For contractors, the question decides who pays for the job. A leak reported at the meter can turn out to be on either side, so the job record has to show where the fault was found.

The customer or operator reports the leak, by QR form, portal or call centre.
The crew records where the leak was, before or after the meter, with photos.
The job is classified as communication pipe or internal, so the repair is charged to the right party.
The completion report goes to the operator with the location and evidence.

What FieldEx does about it

Classification on every job: custom job forms can record which side of the meter the leak was on, so jobs are charged correctly.
Photos at the meter: watermarked photos show the leak's location, protecting the contractor in a dispute.
Customer and operator kept informed: emails and alerts go to the people you choose at each stage of the job.
Photos at each stage: watermarked photos show the disinfected fittings and the reinstated trench, with time and place.

How do contractors maintain hydrants and valves for a water operator?

Section 40 of Act 655 requires a water distribution licensee to keep mains that have fire hydrants at the pressure set in subsidiary legislation. A breach carries a fine of up to RM100,000. Section 42 covers the supply of water for firefighting.

For intervals, many operators and contractors use American Water Works Association (AWWA) practice as international guidance. Ohio EPA's guidance based on AWWA G200 recommends exercising every valve within five years and critical valves every year, and tracking inoperable valves until they are fixed.

What FieldEx does about it

Hydrants and valves on one register: each hydrant and valve has its own record, location, status and history, linked to the zone it serves.
Cycles per valve class: critical valves can be exercised yearly and the remainder over five years, each class with its own plan raising jobs on cycle.
Turns recorded as numbers: custom job forms, set up with you during onboarding, can include number fields for turns to close and pressure readings.
Stuck valves stay flagged: a valve that fails is marked on its record and gets its repair job raised at once.

How often should water tanks and reservoirs be inspected and cleaned?

Act 655 defines the water supply system to include pumping stations and service or balancing reservoirs, so these sit inside the licensee's maintenance duty. As international guidance, the US EPA refers to AWWA Manual M42, under which tanks are drained and inspected no less than once every three years.

Massachusetts' public water system guidelines ask for an annual visual inspection with a written, dated log, a structural and coating inspection every three to five years, and records kept for at least five years. Emptied tanks are disinfected before going back into service.

Keep the dated log. An inspection nobody can find didn't happen.

What FieldEx does about it

Yearly and multi-year inspections: the annual visual check and the three-to-five-yearly full inspection run as separate recurring inspections on each reservoir, with reminders.
Contractor reports attached: the tank cleaning contractor's report, photos and disinfection results attach to the inspection record.
Hatches, vents and ladders as components: each reservoir's hatches, vents, ladders and level sensors keep their own repair history.
Disinfection steps on the checklist: the return-to-service checklist includes disinfection and sampling, so the tank isn't reopened early.

How do contractors show an operator they met complaint and KPI targets?

Section 33 of Act 655 gives service licensees a general duty to deal reasonably with consumers and to adequately address their complaints. SPAN's performance framework for water supply licensees includes water supply complaints and a Customer Satisfaction Index among its KPIs.

SPAN's rating bands, published with the operators' 2022 results, class complaint response and resolution rates above 80% as good. Johor's operator recorded 99.6% on both.

Standard (England)	Requirement
Planned interruption over 4 hours	48 hours' notice
Emergency, ordinary main	Restore within 12 hours
Emergency, strategic main	Restore within 48 hours
Appointments	Morning, afternoon or 2-hour slot

Source: SI 2008/594 and Consumer Council for Water.

What FieldEx does about it

Response times from the job itself: every complaint job records when it was raised, attended and closed, so response and resolution rates come from real timestamps.
Customers sign on site: the customer's signature and photos on the job sheet show the complaint was dealt with.
Complaints by type and zone: reports group low pressure, no water, discoloured water and leak complaints by zone, for the operator's monthly review.
Portal for the operator: the operator's staff can follow job status and download job sheets in the portal.

What are the reinstatement rules after street works?

In England, the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH), fourth edition, sets the rules for every utility excavation. The guarantee period starts when the permanent reinstatement is completed. It runs for two years, or three years where the cover over the pipe is more than 1.5 metres.

The specification expects an interim reinstatement to be made permanent within six months. The Department for Transport explains that highway authorities inspect a sample of reinstatements during the works, within six months of completion and again before the guarantee ends.

The guarantee clock starts at the permanent reinstatement. Record that date on every job.

What FieldEx does about it

Reinstatement as its own job: the repair checklist can raise the permanent reinstatement as its own job, scheduled inside the six-month window.
Guarantee dates tracked: a recurring inspection on the site can carry the guarantee end date, with reminders before the authority's final check.
Photos that settle disputes: watermarked photos of the trench, the layers and the finished surface sit on the job.
Contractor work to the same standard: reinstatement contractors complete the same checklist and photos in their own accounts, limited to their jobs.

Customer story

TapEffect, a social enterprise that designs, builds and operates piped water systems for rural communities in Cambodia, used to manage stock separately at each remote site. With FieldEx, its head office oversees inventory, jobs and instructions across every system. TapEffect reports that its inventory management has become 25% more efficient since moving to FieldEx.

Read the TapEffect story

Questions water utility contractors in Malaysia ask about FieldEx

Which software do water utility contractors in Malaysia use to run repair and meter jobs?

Many still run work packages on spreadsheets and WhatsApp. FieldEx replaces both: jobs raised in bulk or from reports, SLA clocks per pipe category, a located record per asset, crew jobs on the phone, and job sheets with photos and signatures ready for the operator. See how it compares in the FieldEx guide to CMMS software.

Can FieldEx time repairs against SPAN's 24, 36 and 48-hour KPIs?

Yes. Each repair job can carry the SLA for its pipe category, with stages and alerts before a breach. Reports show performance by category, zone and crew.

Can we upload a meter replacement package and create all the jobs at once?

Yes. Upload the list of meters or accounts and FieldEx creates a job for each. Technicians record the old and new meter details and readings on the job.

Can FieldEx remind us before our SPAN permit or registration expires?

Yes. Each permit and registration is tracked as a licence for your company, with its own renewal schedule and automatic reminders.

Can crews record leak location and meter readings on site?

Yes. Custom job forms, set up during onboarding, can record where the leak was found, meter readings and other values, with watermarked photos and the supervisor's signature.

Can the operator's staff see our progress?

Yes. The operator's staff can follow job status, see upcoming maintenance and download job sheets in the client portal, or have their own user account if they carry out inspections.

Can subcontractors work in FieldEx under our account?

Yes. Subcontractors log in with their own accounts. Roles and a hierarchy decide what each one can see and do, and their licences cover only the jobs that involve them.

Can FieldEx keep our water network data in Malaysia?

Yes. Where data residency is required, FieldEx hosts your data locally in Malaysia.

Do crews need mobile coverage to use FieldEx in rural areas?

No. Jobs and tasks can be downloaded and worked offline, with check-in, check-out and travel synced once the phone reconnects.

How fast can a water contractor get started with FieldEx?

Setup, data upload and training are part of the subscription, with no setup fee. Job sheets and asset lists can be uploaded. FieldEx helps with setup, and training is included.

FieldEx's Malaysian team can work with you at your office, in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah or Sarawak, and train crews in Bahasa Malaysia or English. Once we know your requirements and your data is ready, FieldEx can be implemented in as little as a week with standard features for small businesses. Larger setups and custom work take longer. See FieldEx implementation.

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