Smart Water Meter

Sterlingtimes

Severn Trent told me that I would be able to read my consumption online. In fact, Severn Trent is "designing some new ways for our customers to see this information [consumption]". 

Hxxx at 13:29, May 13:

We are only able to see the regular readings and the 6 monthly meter readings will be updated to your online account. We're currently designing some new ways for our customers to see this information, but installing smart meters is the first step.

You can find out more on the following link:https://www.stwater.co.uk/wonderful-on-tap/green-recovery/smart-metering-project/

Hxxx

 at 13:30, May 13:

This will be made readily available once our Smart network is in place and our Smart meters are reporting back their household consumption. This will be available from the end of July. We'll reach out to our customers to let them know once the platform is available for them to see their consumption.

fastlane258

Sterlingtimes said:

Severn Trent told me that I would be able to read my consumption online. In fact, Severn Trent is "designing some new ways for our customers to see this information [consumption]". 

Hxxx at 13:29, May 13:

We are only able to see the regular readings and the 6 monthly meter readings will be updated to your online account. We're currently designing some new ways for our customers to see this information, but installing smart meters is the first step.

Hxxx

It’s great to hear that water companies are using newer technology. If only mine would do it. Overpriced, ridiculously low pressure and regularly cuts out due to bursts. Affinity water are a joke. It’s not like I’m in a rural area either, I’m roughly 10mins walk away from Heathrow but they cannot fix the water pressure. All they do is give you £50 a year and tell you to live with it. 

Metering does seem to be the future of water. Does STWater force people on a meter or is it just new builds?

Cardew

fastlane258 said:

Metering does seem to be the future of water. Does STWater force people on a meter or is it just new builds?

This is complicated!

Generally if you are an existing occupant and don't have a meter and thus pay charges based on Rateable Value(RV) they cannot force you to pay metered rates, although they can force you to have a meter; but it will not be used for charging until there is a change of occupant.

On change of occupant they can force you to have a meter and pay metered charges, although historically many companies didn't enforce that provision.

There are designated area of water shortage where companies can enforce the fitting of a meter and charging metered rates.

Sterlingtimes

fastlane258 said:

Sterlingtimes said:

Severn Trent told me that I would be able to read my consumption online. In fact, Severn Trent is "designing some new ways for our customers to see this information [consumption]". 

Hxxx at 13:29, May 13:

We are only able to see the regular readings and the 6 monthly meter readings will be updated to your online account. We're currently designing some new ways for our customers to see this information, but installing smart meters is the first step.

Hxxx

It’s great to hear that water companies are using newer technology. If only mine would do it. Overpriced, ridiculously low pressure and regularly cuts out due to bursts. Affinity water are a joke. It’s not like I’m in a rural area either, I’m roughly 10mins walk away from Heathrow but they cannot fix the water pressure. All they do is give you £50 a year and tell you to live with it. 

Metering does seem to be the future of water. Does STWater force people on a meter or is it just new builds?

Yes, Severn Trent gives no option: every house identified must have a meter. However, a non-metered house may not be forced to move onto the metered tariff.

Sterlingtimes

Cardew said:

fastlane258 said:

Metering does seem to be the future of water. Does STWater force people on a meter or is it just new builds?

This is complicated!

Generally if you are an existing occupant and don't have a meter and thus pay charges based on Rateable Value(RV) they cannot force you to pay metered rates, although they can force you to have a meter; but it will not be used for charging until there is a change of occupant.

On change of occupant they can force you to have a meter and pay metered charges, although historically many companies didn't enforce that provision.

There are designated area of water shortage where companies can enforce the fitting of a meter and charging metered rates.

A far better answer than mine.

ab101

So in the end they just took the top bit off the old manual water meter in the street and put the new 'smart' bit on instead, took a couple of minutes. It then took another 3.5 weeks before they actually activated it. Kind of scary looking at my hourly water usage (you see it all on their website under your account). I always provided annual meter readings so it wont make any difference to my bills. 

HarryKobeans

Anglian Water have informed me that they will be installing a smart water meter on my property.  My concern (and a question they won’t answer) is that smart metering will enable them to introduce demand-based tariff in the future, charging a premium for peak-time usage.

QrizB

HarryKobeans said:

My concern (and a question they won’t answer) is that smart metering will enable them to introduce demand-based tariff in the future, charging a premium for peak-time usage.

Considering that water can be stored, easily and cheaply, that sounds unlikely. Do you have any reason to think that they might do so?

It's quite a bit harder to store natural gas but that doesn't have TOU tariffs.

Cardew

HarryKobeans said:

Anglian Water have informed me that they will be installing a smart water meter on my property.  My concern (and a question they won’t answer) is that smart metering will enable them to introduce demand-based tariff in the future, charging a premium for peak-time usage.

The aim of peak time usage(TOU -Time of Use) for electricity is to reduce consumption at times when it is difficult/expensive to generate electricity. As stated above this is because it is not yet possible to store electricity in quantities required to cope with excess demand.

A major issue with water supply is a shortage of water in reservoirs  after prolonged drought  when consumers are encouraged to reduce consumption and hosepipe bans are enforced by law. Although it would require a change in the law, I suppose it is feasible that prices could be increased during these times.

I have a so-called 'smart water' meter but it only enables the meter to be read remotely i.e. it doesn't transmit consumption to a central point. The cost of converting these meters, 'non-smart' meters and unmetered properties would cost £billions and take xx years.

tghe-retford

I know in my town, everyone is on a water meter regardless of billing and they are currently in the process of upgrading every meter to a smart water meter, which sends readings every hour. My cynical side does not rule out the idea of a future severe drought would have us all moved to metered billing (which I do already because its cheaper for me) in order to preserve water. By what I can read, our local water company will be upgrading every single meter by 2035 and they claim it is to reduce carbon emissions from meter reading (and I suspect, paying said meter readers a wage too).