Forum Topic

Thames Water - water meter ‘compulsory’ installation

We’ve just received a letter and leaflet that says water meters are coming. We have resisted having one so far, but this implies it is now compulsory as we are in a ‘seriously stressed water’ area. Has anyone else received this, and is that the case that we will have to accept the installation? Thanks

Alison Gascoigne ● 1880d16 Comments

According this site,it isn't compulsory-“no water company is ever required [by the Government] to introduce compulsory metering, even in areas of severe water stress” and that any decisions to introduce metering should “be done in consultation with customers”.https://stopsmartmeters.org.uk/official-defra-confirms-smart-water-meters-are-not-compulsory/

Ben Gemmingen ● 1880d

Interesting - I can see that letter was written in 2014, am I safe to assume nothing has changed since then?

Alison Gascoigne ● 1880d

Possibly not (sorry I should've checked when that was published).7.3 Compulsory metering7.3.1 We have a metering programme to install smart meters to properties we supply water towhich are in areas of serious water stress.7.3.2 An area of serious water stress is determined by the Secretary of State under Regulation4(1) of the Water Industry (Prescribed Conditions) Regulations 1999 (as amended) inaccordance with Section 144B of the Water Industry Act 1991. Our water resourcesmanagement plan, published under section 37B(8)(a) of the Water Industry Act 1991,sets out our compulsory metering programme, which the Secretary of State hasapproved.7.3.3 If your property falls within a water supply area which will be compulsorily metered, wewill write to you in advance to let you know when we will install the smart meter andwhen the meter will be activated. We will also explain to you about our 12-monthcomparison period and when we will move you from unmetered charges to meteredcharges.7.3.4 Once we have fitted the meter, in order to help you adjust to metered charges, we willsend you regular ‘comparison’ bills over the 12-month comparison period. These willshow the difference between your unmetered charges and what you would be paying.https://www.thameswater.co.uk/media-library/home/help/billing-and-account/understand-your-bill/charges-2021/charges-scheme-2021-22.pdf

Ben Gemmingen ● 1880d

From further reading, it appears that they are now able to force installation:https://ccwater.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/439/session/L3RpbWUvMTYzMDQ5OTY1My9zaWQvQ2lqaVEtanA%3D

Alison Gascoigne ● 1880d

Yes it does..https://www.thameswater.co.uk/help/water-meters/getting-a-water-meter

Ben Gemmingen ● 1880d

Many older properties used to, and may still, share a mains water pipe where the shared owners, as we all used to, received a standard charge until individual meters were generally individualised to properties as residences were renovated or divided into flats. I mean ~ it would be irksome to say the least to be smart metered and find you were then smartly paying for next the neighbours usage of water as well.

Bobbie Carnegie ● 1880d

I’ve had several appointments sent to me to instal my smart meter.  The inference is that I’ve asked for one.  I don’t like underhand tactics of any sort. So I will wait to be forced,  even if in my case it may prove cheaper, as we’re only two people with a tiny garden.

Maggie Dodge ● 1880d

I think we should all be paying for what we use.  Water is precious and shouldn't be wasted and when unmetered it is taken for granted... The infrastructure, maintenance and treatment of it costs money.  We have a Climate Emergency.  Have you read the back of the letter?  What it says is "you don't have to move to a metered account for one year from the date your meter is activated".It is a beautifully clear well presented letter with a ragged right hand margin - better than many I've seen - something that a lot more organisations would do well to copy.  One of the most important things about smart meters is that with them the water companies can more easily tell if there is a leak - presumably a more successful/easier way than creeping around the streets in the middle of the night listening for them!

Philippa Bond ● 1880d

approximately four months back a whole estate was fitted with water meters.The meters will be running and metering your water usage for a year.After a year the water company will give you the total amount it would have cost you using a water meter, and compare it to the yearly amount you pay now for mains supply water. Although the yearly charge we pay now is split into your mains water supply and foul drainage

Bernard Allen ● 1880d

I will wager that with two people and a small garden the savings produced by switching to a meter will be significant, certainly that has been my experience.

Bruce Hammal ● 1880d

Yes I’m sure we might find it cheaper Bruce. On principle I object to the underhand tactics and mis information being churned out generally. I get myself into all sorts of hot water trying to stand up to misinformation and bullying.

Maggie Dodge ● 1880d

I'm wondering about this i.e. a shared supply. I live in a Victorian terrace and the water supply (inlet?) is shared with my neighbour and this seems to be the case all down the road. I'm just wondering how water meters could be fitted without huge disruption to the pavement and/or the short space in front of the houses or, indeed, inside the house. At what point along the pipe would the meter(s) be?

Anne England ● 1880d

If the company’s stopcock is already located in the pavement outside your property, they dig a hole a metre square and install the metre  housing in the old stopcock position . If there only one stopcock for tw properties, then they would have to find the place where the pipe work tees off to each property.  That could be in the street  or under the property, which would make life a bit more difficult.

Bernard Allen ● 1880d

Maggie as I understand it, in a sense it has been compulsory to switch to a (non-smart) water meter for quite a few years - this happens automatically whenever a property changes ownership. I was also sceptical about the benefits so for the 25+ years I lived at my last house (Council Tax band G) I stuck with traditional charges based on the old rateable value system. Having recently moved to another band G house where I had no option but to have a meter I have been amazed at how much money it is saving me - well over 50%. Where I am in full agreement with you is over this smart meter business, be it for water or any other meter. I would appear to have no choice over the "upgrading" of the water meter but I still refuse to have my gas and electricity meters made smart despite the ever-sneakier methods employed to try and get me to agree to the change. Firstly I don't see the point - I take my own readings once a month and I'm happy to enter them via the supplier's website. Secondly since I now live in Grove Park, anything that relies on a mobile phone signal to work is in trouble from the outset! There are other reasons too, but those will suffice for now.

Bruce Hammal ● 1879d

Thank you for that. I can't imagine householders agreeing to their (small) front patch being disturbed let alone some crazy upheaval in the house. Thames Water would have to foot the bill presumably and the cost of the work and making good would be prohibitive in any case. I am thinking that there will be some roads they don't bother with.On a separate note, I have always thought that the annual cost of Thames Water is very reasonable but then that's comparing it to the almost three times the price of South West Water. I believe Cameron, as a consequence, decided to give householders in the S.W. a £50.00 voucher or some such off their bills and presumably this still holds.

Anne England ● 1879d

I think I’ve been confused and was really thinking of gas and electricity smart meters. 😂😂Sleep deprived at the moment. It was the inference that having an electricity smart meter would make  things cheaper whereas I understand that’s merely because you can see the meter whizzing round as the kettle boils. Still don’t want water metered either but feel less concerned about that.  Probably could save money there, not everything’s about money for me 👍

Maggie Dodge ● 1879d