Switching to a water meter
- Water meters can help reduce your bills - find out how much money you could save
- Is a water meter right for you, and how you can get one installed?
- Compulsory water metering - could you be required to have a water meter?
£66the average annual water bill saving when a meter is installed.
Who is entitled to a free water meter?
England and Wales
Most homes in England and Wales are entitled to a free meter, and companies are expected to fit them within three months of you requesting one. However, a water company can refuse to install a meter if it would be unreasonably expensive or impractical to do so.
Scotland
In Scotland, households can opt to have a meter installed on the water supply to their property at their own expense. Scottish Water will provide the meter but all other costs involved in creating the space for the meter to be installed must be met by you. If you don't own the property you live in, you must have the owner's permission to do this.
Northern Ireland
Residents of Northern Ireland don't pay water rates - and following an independent review by the Northern Ireland Assembly, it was agreed that additional charges will not be introduced yet. However, it was also acknowledged that funding of water and sewerage services remains problematic.
I've heard that water meters might be made compulsory - is this true?
The government wants water meters installed in most British homes by 2020. However, the situation is different in some parts of the country where water resources are more stressed. Water metering is particularly unlikely in Scotland.
According to water industry regulator Ofwat, around 40% of customers in England and Wales already pay for metered water, but targets have been set for water companies to increase this figure to 50% by 2015.
Other proposals being suggested include targeting compulsory metering in areas where water shortages are most severe, encouraging people to install a water meter voluntarily and capping bills for low income households to ensure they don't end up paying more should compulsory metering be introduced.
We'll update this page with any developments as they happen. Let us know what you think about the proposed changes by joining our water meter debate on Which? Conversation.
Some areas of the UK are already rolling out water meters
Do I have to get a water meter?
For now, no - not unless you want one. But there are certain exceptions where you may be obliged to have a water meter installed. If you live in an area that has been classified as a 'water stressed' region - an area the Environment Agency deems to be particularly short of water - your water company can ask the government for permission to enforce water metering to help manage supplies.
A water company has the right to choose to install a water meter at your property whether you've requested it or not. But it doesn't have the right to charge you on a metered basis unless:
- you are the new occupier of a property, and you haven't already received an unmetered bill
- you have a power shower, extra large bath or 'automatic' watering device such as a lawn sprinkler
- you automatically fill a swimming pool at your property
- you use a reverse osmosis water softening unit
- live in a water stressed area where the government has allowed compulsory metering as part of a plan to maintain secure water supplies.
Southern Water is rolling out compulsory metering across areas of the south-east it covers under the 'water stressed' rules. If you're affected, you'll receive advance written warning from Southern Water to notify you of the change. Your meter will be installed free of charge.
Water meter bills are based on your actual water usage
Is installing a water meter worth it?
If you want to save water and reduce your bills, a free water meter could be the answer. See our guide to using less water and our water-efficient gadgets round-up for more water-saving tips.
The financial benefits of installing a water meter depend on what you pay now, the number of people in your house and how much water you use.
Water regulator Ofwat says in general, large families may be worse off with a meter and single occupiers are most likely to benefit.
The organisation estimates metering can reduce household water consumption by 9% to 21%. On an average bill of £312 this is a saving of up to £66.
Typical water meter costs
You can see how annual bills vary between different household sizes in the table below, based on Yorkshire Water's metered tariffs - costs for different water companies will vary.
| Typical metered costs for different sized households | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| People in household | Low water usage | Average water usage | High water usage |
| 1 | £188 | £226 | £277+ |
| 2 | £277 | £353 | £403+ |
| 3 | £365 | £428 | £530+ |
| 4 | £454 | £489 | £656+ |
| 5 | £542 | £618 | £757+ |
Contact your water company to find out if you specifically for your circumstances if you could save money by switching to a water meter.
How do I get a water meter?
Contact your water company to arrange a home assessment to decide whether a meter can be installed. Some companies prefer to fit a meter inside the home while others prefer to install in a boundary box outside.
Your water company should then read the meter at least once a year. You can also read the meter yourself to check your bills and keep an eye on how much you’re using.
Currently - in most cases - you can trial a water meter free of charge for up to a year, then decide to switch back to the old rateable charge if you find you're spending more money.
Metered water charges
A water meter works in the same way as a gas or electricity meter. It records and charges you for the amount of water actually used rather than the traditional flat charge based on the value of your property.
Water companies' unmeasured and measured tariffs vary considerably, but your supplier can help you work out how a meter would affect your charges.
You can estimate your prospective metered water charges using the Consumer Council for Water's water meter calculator. Some individual water companies also have online calculators to help you estimate how much water you use.
If you receive two bills from different companies, one for water supply and the other for sewerage charges, you'll first need to obtain the relevant tariff from each company for each service.
Water meters can help to cut your water bills if you're a small household
Capped water meter bills
Industry watchdog the Consumer Council for Water says some people who have a water meter can request a capped bill if they receive specific benefits or tax credits and can’t avoid using a lot of water because they have three or more dependent children.
This also applies if you have a medical condition specified by the government - contact your water company for more details.
Your water rights
You can ask your water company to install a water meter free of charge.
If you can’t have a meter fitted, you can ask your company to base your bill on an assessed charge (your water company will be able to give you more information).
You also you have the right to revert back to receiving an unmeasured bill within 12 months of the meter being fitted.
If you move into a property where there is already a water meter, you will not be able to have it uninstalled or revert to paying water rates.
- Find out how to use less water at home
- Read more about water-saving gadgets Which? has reviewed
- Visit our energy-savig section for more advice to help you save £££s.
