Late last month, Melbourne-based home automation distributor Digital Home Systems announced a new, in-house brand of Z-Wave devices called zConnect.

Launching at Integrate 2016, zConnect aims to service a section of the market that is otherwise under-serviced in Australia.

Previously, the company announced plans to launch a fully-integrated, Z-Wave enabled garage door controller. Most recently, it has announced that on launch it will also be carrying a Z-Wave enabled ball valve that can be remotely or manually controlled to open and close water pipes.

The Z-Wave Wireless Water Valve from zConnect is fully compatible with any Z-Wave network in the same RF region.

It is designed for residential and light commercial use, primarily for integration with home automation systems such as those from Vera, Fibaro or similar.

When paired with a sensor, such as the Fibaro leak sensor, a scene can be triggered in Fibaro’s software to automatically and instantly close the valve to prevent any water leaking, which could cause untold damage.

With multiple sensors you can monitor leaks throughout your home and immediately shut off the mains water supply as necessary.

Alternatively, you can pair the zConnect water valve with the sprinkler panel of Fibaro’s Home Center 2 to schedule garden sprinklers to turn on and off.

With over 50 million devices sold worldwide, Z-Wave is the world’s fastest growing home automation technology. There are more than 1,500 certified Z-Wave products and 375 companies from all around the world that make up the Z-Wave Alliance.

The Z-Wave Wireless Water Valve from zConnect can be operated manually, which gives users the ability to open and close the valve even in the absence of electricity.