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Waterwise would like to see full metering across the whole of the UK as soon as possible. Full metering can improve water efficiency by up to 10%, although its long-term impact on water efficiency in the UK remains unmeasured. Waterwise recognises concerns about the possible punitive impact of metering on low-income households and believes social, environmental and economic aspects of metering should be addressed. However, metering is the most equitable way of paying for water and allows for the introduction of tariffs to protect vulnerable customers.
The UK has around 28% metering, with some areas of SE England having around 50% By contrast most other European countries have full metering.
Northern Ireland recently announced plans to significantly increase metering, with the government funding a mechanism to protect those on low incomes, as they are about to introduce charges for the first time and see this as the most equitable approach.
Meters do not directly reduce consumption, they record consumption, but they do encourage customers to waste less and in general they lead to behavioural change that leads to a 10% reduction in consumption.
Meter installation costs can cost between £50 and £200.
Unless protective tariff structures are introduced, large families may pay more on a meter. However the current unstructured approach to increasing meters means that unmetered higher users will pay more as the price rebalances and they will have no direct control over their bills.
In the long-term meters protect large families and vulnerable customers.
The main difference in water usage is not between small and large households but between normal household use and those households with pools or sprinklers, as a sprinkler can use as much in one hour as a family of four uses in a day and a half.
Meters enable companies and consumers to have a better handle on consumption.
Meters allow the use of variable tariffs, with steps in charge depending on consumption.
Metered consumption encourages people to use less water and make them more conscious of their water use. But the increase in efficiency is dependent on the availability of information on how to reduce consumption.
As water is still fairly cheap compared to other utilities and people do not understand the actuality of water shortages in the UK, metering would have to be accompanied by a comprehensive education campaign on water efficiency.
There are also some examples of perverse effects of metering in relation to peak demand. Some people take the attitude that the cost of water is small compared to the value of their garden and see water as a right since they are paying by quantity, this can lead to increased peak demand during periods of scarcity in affluent areas.
Full metering would provide detailed information on supply and demand and would reduce consumption by around 10%. There would be a high installation cost but economies of scale would ensue. There would be a need for special protection for vulnerable customers as prices rebalance. There would also be a need for information on water efficiency in order to maximise the benefits of metering.
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