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Will switching to a water meter save money? Will switching to a water meter save money?
(about 1 month later)
When the first water bill arrived on her doorstep, six months When the first water bill arrived on her doorstep, six months after Michelle Redmond decided to install a water meter at her four-bed house in Twickenham, she could hardly believe her eyes. “The charges had dropped from £67 a month to £22 a month - a saving of £540 a year. It was incredible.”
after Michelle Redmond decided to install a water meter at her four-bed house She had taken up Thames Water’s offer to fit a water meter at the property purely on impulse. “It was free to get it installed and if we decided we didn’t like it in the first year, they’d take it away again. I figured we might as well give it as go, seeing as we had nothing to lose.”
in Twickenham, she could hardly believe her eyes. “The charges had dropped from With a meter, you pay only for the water you use - so, as soon as their meter was fitted, the family of four immediately tried to reduce their water usage. “We’ve taught the kids, who are 8 and 10, not to leave the tap on when brushing their teeth, and we remind them not to spend forever in the shower. We fitted a water-saving device to the toilet, and we bought some water butts so we could use rainwater to water the garden. We’re definitely less wasteful of water now.”
£67 a month to £22 a month - a saving of £540 a year. It was incredible.” This response is typical; research by the UK’s Water Industry Research body has found that the average family reduces their water usage by 10% to 15% after a water meter is installed. “People start saving water before they even get the meter fitted,” says Jacob Tompkins from the water efficiency lobbying group Waterwise.
She had taken up Thames Water’s offer to fit a water meter at “It’s like suddenly discovering you can’t get unlimited free petrol at the garage. If you know you’ll pay for the amount of water you use, it makes you think about it more. And that’s good, because we are taking water out of our rivers and underground rocks for public use, and that is damaging the natural environment of plants and animals.”
the property purely on impulse. “It was free to get it installed and if we What's more, he says, reducing your hot water usage will reduce your CO2 footprint - and your energy bills. “Heating the water in your home is not only phenomenally expensive, it’s also responsible for about 5% of the UK’s CO2 emissions - that’s about the same percentage of CO2 emitted by all air travel in the UK.”
decided we didn’t like it in the first year, they’d take it away again. I Ofwat, the regulator, states that in England and Wales, you have the right to request a meter and your water company should install the meter within three months of your request. So shouldn't everyone be doing it?
figured we might as well give it as go, seeing as we had nothing to lose.” Should you switch to a water meter?
With a meter, you pay only for the water you use - so, as soon Seems like a win-win situation - but are you always better off with a meter? According to Ofwat 46% of customers in England and Wales now have a water meter and paid, on average, £100 less for water and sewage services than customers without a meter last year. The difference was greatest for metered customers in the south-west, who paid an average of £400 less than unmetered customers.
as their meter was fitted, the family of four immediately tried to reduce their However, this may merely reflect the fact that most people will only voluntarily switch to a meter when they can lower their bills by doing so. Currently, if you don’t have a meter, your bills will be based on what the rateable value of your property was in 1973 (unless you live in Scotland, where your bills are based on your council tax band). This means, for example, if you live alone in a large, valuable property, you’ll pay more than the single occupant of a small, cheaper home - even if you each use the same amount of water.
water usage. “We’ve taught the kids, who are 8 and 10, not to leave the tap on Guy Anker from Moneysavingexpert.com says: “As a general rough rule of thumb, if there are more or the same number of bedrooms in your house than people, check out getting a meter."
when brushing their teeth, and we remind them not to spend forever in the Alternatively, use the water meter calculator on the website of the independent Consumer Council for Water (CCWater), to see how much water you are consuming and get an estimate of a metered bill for your home. Last year, 56% of the people recorded using the calculator found they could save £211 a year, on average, by switching to a meter.
shower. We fitted a water-saving device to the toilet, and we bought some water You can also use the water energy calculator on the Energy Saving Trust website to check how reducing your water usage will lower your heating bills.
butts so we could use rainwater to water the garden. We’re definitely less What’s the cost of installing a water meter?
wasteful of water now.” Unfortunately, the cost of switching varies around the UK. If you live in England and Wales, your water company will provide and install a meter completely free of charge.
This response is typical; research by the UK’s Water Industry However, if you live in Scotland, you should expect to pay a minimum of around £300. This is because Scottish Water, which is owned by the Scottish parliament, hasn’t been allocated any funding to install meters. A spokesperson for Scottish Water said that the company doesn't hold any evidence that “proves the installation of meters encourages lower than normal usage of water”.
Research body has found that the average family reduces their water usage by By contrast, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is so convinced that installing water meters is an effective way to reduce water consumption (PDF) that it is allowing water companies in areas of “serious water stress” (such as Southern Water and South East Water) to force all their customers to switch to meters.
10% to 15% after a water meter is installed. “People start saving water before Peter Thompson, a customer of Southern Water in Lancing, is worse off as a result of this ‘compulsory metering’. “I had no choice but to switch to a meter, and it has increased our annual water bill by 27%, to more than £400 a year.”
they even get the meter fitted,” says Jacob Tompkins from the water efficiency His first bill was a complete shock, he says. “I thought the people who’d pay more would have large gardens and large families. My wife and I live in a one-bed flat with no garden and a new bathroom, with all the latest water saving devices - I honestly believed we would save money.”
lobbying group Waterwise. The couple do, in fact, use less water than average, but because their small flat has a very low rateable value, their previous bills were almost £90 cheaper. “I think it’s unfair, but there’s nothing I can do except take it on the chin.”
“It’s like suddenly discovering you can’t get unlimited free Paying higher water bills after installing a meter
petrol at the garage. If you know you’ll pay for the amount of water you use, Families with lots of young children and those with medical conditions (such as incontinence, weeping skin problems and renal failure) which necessitate high water usage are also likely to receive higher bills with a meter.
it makes you think about it more. And that’s good, because we are taking water If that means you, and you are in receipt of certain benefits, you can apply for a special WaterSure tariff from your water company. This will cap your charges at the average household bill for the area.
out of our rivers and underground rocks for public use, and that is damaging If you find yourself in financial difficulty after switching to a meter, you can also apply to your water company’s charitable trust for help with your water bills.
the natural environment of plants and animals.” It’s also worth bearing in mind that, as long as water meters aren’t compulsory in your area, you have 13 months to decide whether you want to remain on a metered tariff or revert back to unmetered bills, says Deryck Hall, spokesperson for the water consumer advocacy group CCWater. During this time, you should expect to receive at least two bills which you can use to compare charges before and after the meter was installed.
What's more, he says, reducing your hot water usage will reduce
your CO2 footprint - and your energy bills. “Heating the water in your home is
not only phenomenally expensive, it’s also responsible for about 5% of the UK’s
CO2 emissions - that’s about the same percentage of CO2 emitted by all air
travel in the UK.”
Ofwat, the regulator, states that in England and Wales, you
have the right to request a meter and your water company should install
the meter within three months of your request. So shouldn't everyone be doing it?
Should you switch to a water
meter?
Seems like a win-win situation - but are you always better off
with a meter? According to Ofwat 46% of customers in England
and Wales now have a water meter and paid, on average, £100 less for water and
sewage services than customers without a meter last year. The difference was
greatest for metered customers in the south-west, who paid an average of £400
less than unmetered customers.
However, this may merely reflect the fact that most people will
only voluntarily switch to a meter when they can lower their bills by doing so.
Currently, if you don’t have a meter, your bills will be based on what the
rateable value of your property was in 1973 (unless you live in Scotland, where
your bills are based on your council tax band). This means, for example, if you
live alone in a large, valuable property, you’ll pay more than the single
occupant of a small, cheaper home - even if you each use the same amount of
water.
Guy Anker from Moneysavingexpert.com says: “As a general rough
rule of thumb, if there are more or the same number of bedrooms in your house
than people, check out getting a meter."
Alternatively, use the water meter calculator on the website of the independent Consumer Council
for Water (CCWater), to see how much water you are consuming and get an
estimate of a metered bill for your home. Last year, 56% of the people recorded
using the calculator found they could save £211 a year, on average, by
switching to a meter.
You can also use the water energy calculator on the Energy Saving
Trust website to check how reducing your water usage will lower your heating
bills.
What’s the cost of
installing a water meter?
Unfortunately, the cost of switching varies around the UK. If
you live in England and Wales, your water company will provide and install a
meter completely free of charge.
However, if you live in Scotland, you should expect to pay a
minimum of around £300. This is because
Scottish Water, which is owned by the Scottish parliament, hasn’t been
allocated any funding to install meters. A spokesperson
for Scottish Water said that the company doesn't hold any evidence that
“proves the installation of meters encourages lower than normal usage of
water”.
By contrast, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs is so convinced that installing water meters is an effective way to reduce water consumption
(PDF) that it is allowing water companies in areas of “serious water stress”
(such as Southern Water and South East Water) to force all their customers to
switch to meters.
Peter Thompson, a customer of Southern Water in Lancing, is
worse off as a result of this ‘compulsory metering’. “I had no choice but to
switch to a meter, and it has increased our annual water bill by 27%, to more
than £400 a year.”
His first bill was a complete shock, he says. “I thought the
people who’d pay more would have large gardens and large families. My wife and
I live in a one-bed flat with no garden and a new bathroom, with all the latest
water saving devices - I honestly believed we would save money.”
The couple do, in fact, use less water than average, but
because their small flat has a very low rateable value, their previous bills
were almost £90 cheaper. “I think it’s unfair, but there’s nothing I can do
except take it on the chin.”
Paying higher water
bills after installing a meter
Families with lots of young children and those with medical
conditions (such as incontinence, weeping skin problems and renal failure)
which necessitate high water usage are also likely to receive higher bills with
a meter.
If that means you, and you are in receipt of certain benefits, you can apply for a special WaterSure tariff from your water company. This will cap your charges at the
average household bill for the area.
If you find yourself in financial difficulty after switching to
a meter, you can also apply to your water company’s charitable trust for help with your water
bills.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that, as long as water meters
aren’t compulsory in your area, you have 13 months to decide whether you want
to remain on a metered tariff or revert back to unmetered bills, says Deryck
Hall, spokesperson for the water consumer advocacy group CCWater. During this
time, you should expect to receive at least two bills which you can use to
compare charges before and after the meter was installed.
The dangers of a leakThe dangers of a leak
One of the key reasons that water companies and environmental One of the key reasons that water companies and environmental campaigners are in favour of water meters is because they can help to identify leaks. According to Ofwat, 22% of all water put into public supply is lost through leaks - and a quarter of water lost through leaks occurs within the boundary of a property.
campaigners are in favour of water meters is because they can help to identify “If you get a meter, and you see it whizzing around when you’re not using water - or notice a big increase overnight - then you probably have a leak,” says Tompkins.
leaks. According to Ofwat, 22% of The bad news is that, until the leak is identified, the water company will assume you are using all the water that is leaking into the ground, and bill you for it. There are shocking examples of meter customers being hit with exorbitant bills due to such leaks yet, according to CCWater, you are entitled to get at least one leak fixed by the water company for free and the bill lowered to your average water usage in the preceding 12 months. If you are dissatisfied with your water company’s response, you can ask CCWater to intervene on your behalf.
all water put into public supply is lost through leaks - and a quarter of water
lost through leaks occurs within the boundary of a property.
“If you get a meter, and you see it whizzing around when you’re
not using water - or notice a big increase overnight - then you probably have a
leak,” says Tompkins.
The bad news is that, until the leak is identified, the water
company will assume you are using all the water that is leaking into the
ground, and bill you for it. There are shocking examples of meter customers being hit
with exorbitant bills due to such leaks yet, according to CCWater, you are
entitled to get at least one leak fixed by the water company for free and the
bill lowered to your average water usage in the preceding 12 months. If you are
dissatisfied with your water company’s response, you can ask CCWater to intervene
on your behalf.
How to switch to a water meterHow to switch to a water meter
Interested in finding out more about how you can live better? Take a look at this month's Live Better challenge here.Interested in finding out more about how you can live better? Take a look at this month's Live Better challenge here.
The The Live Better Challenge is funded by Unilever; its focus is sustainable living. All content is editorially independent except for pieces labelled advertisement feature. Find out more here.
Live Better Challenge is funded by Unilever; its focus is sustainable
living. All content is editorially independent except for pieces
labelled advertisement feature. Find out more here.