Smart water meter FAQs
Here you'll find everything you need to know about smart water meters.
What is a smart water meter?
Smart water meters measure how much water you use. They send us readings automatically using a secure network.
You’ll be able to see this information, giving you a clearer view of your water usage so you can make responsible choices for yourself, your household, and your local community.
Smart water meter FAQ
I already have a water meter outside
When your meter is due to be replaced, we’ll let you know that we’re coming to upgrade it. As your meter is outside, you don’t need to be at home. While our engineer is at your home, they’ll:
- let you know they’ve arrived and show their official ID if you’re at home.
- turn your water off for around 10 minutes
- fit your new smart meter
- check everything is working and turn your water back on
- give you information about your new meter. If you’re not at home, we’ll pop a card through your letterbox telling you all about your new smart meter.
I already have a water meter inside my home
When your meter is due to be replaced, we’ll be in touch to let you know when this is happening. As your meter is inside your home we will contact you to make an appointment that is convenient with you.
It usually takes less than an hour to upgrade your meter. While our engineer is at your property, they’ll:
- show you their official ID
- turn your water off
- fit your new smart meter
- check everything is working and turn your water back on, and
- give you information about your new smart meter and how it works.
I don’t have a meter
We’ll let you know when we’re coming to fit the meter. Most of the time, there’s no need to be at home though, so don’t worry if we miss you. While our engineer is at your property, they’ll:
- let you know they’ve arrived and show their official ID if you’re home
- identify the location to fit the meter, which is normally in a small, lidded box outside your home. It's the one with your external stop tap, and usually found in the public footpath, or in your front garden or drive
- turn your water off for around 10 minutes
- fit your smart meter
- check everything is working and turn your water back on
- give you information about your new meter (or pop a card through your door with this information if you’re out).
There may be a small number of occasions where we’re unable to fit the meter as planned. If this is the case, we’ll leave a card explaining the next steps and options available for you.
In most circumstances the meter will be free unless you decide you want it to be located in a different place to where we recommend.
In which case, we may ask you to contribute to the cost of installation.
Yes. Public Health England has confirmed that smart meters do not pose a risk to health.
You can read more information about smart meters in this Public Health England report (opens new window).
Smart water meters are vital to help us protect our water supply for future generations.
They help us understand water usage across all the communities we serve, so that we can find leaks and conserve water. All water companies in the UK will be rolling out smart water meters in the next 10 years.
Yes. It is our responsibility to maintain the pipework.
This means checking for leaks that are both ours and your responsibility. Smart water meters help us manage the precious resource for now and for future generations to come.
Having a replacement smart meter, or a new smart water meter installed, will not change the way you are billed.
If we're not using your water meter to bill you, you’re billed by your property's rateable value which is based on the location and size of your home. This means you could be paying for more than what you’re using.
If we're already using your water meter to bill you, you’re billed by how much water you’re using with readings from your meter.
It’s still up to you whether you want to be billed by your meter or not.
We’ll let you know whether you’ll save, keep your bill similar or pay more on a meter. Being billed by your meter is a fairer way to pay for the water you use and helps to protect your community for now and for future generations.
You’ll still get full access to the app so you can keep a track of what you’re using, and we’ll help you save water through tips.
Rateable values are used to work out how much to charge properties that do not have water meters.
They were decided by the Valuation Office and can be different for every home. Rateable values were frozen in 1990, when council tax was introduced, and they have stayed the same since.
We aim for all our water meters to be smart and connected to a network by 2035
We’re rolling our smart water meters to learn more about usage and leakage, even if you’re not billed on it. We'll be in touch when we're ready to install your smart water meter, and you’re connected.
Unlike energy meters, our water meters are installed on a manual stop tap and these can’t be accessed remotely.
Water companies, by UK law, cannot disconnect your water supply.
Our smart water meters send us leak and flow information remotely over a secure network but they cannot control the supply of water, the actual flow or the stop tap.
Without a way to communicate, smart meters wouldn't be smart. They use radio waves to get information on water usage.
Other things use radio waves too, like the mobile phone or a computer you're probably reading this right now on, plus radios and TVs. These devices don’t communicate all the time, only when needed.
Meters comply with UK law and EU standards (Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment Directive) and radio waves are covered in these.
According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), exposure to radio waves from smart meters is well below the guidelines set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP).
Their study also found smart meters produce fewer radio waves than other everyday devices like mobile phones and Wi-Fi. UKHSA doesn't think exposure to radio waves is a reason not to have a smart meter.
We're comfortable with the safety of smart water meters because there's enough evidence that they're safe. Over two million smart water meters are already installed across the UK.
No you don’t have to pay.
Unless you’d like it in a different place to our recommendation.
Your smart water meter will be linked to your account and we'll let you know when you’ll be able to track your water usage on our app.
You’ll have access to all the benefits of smart metering, which include:
- a clearer view of the water usage in your home with hourly, daily, weekly and monthly views on our app and
- improved awareness of your water usage that could help you save water, reducing your carbon footprint and your energy bill
With an improved view of your water usage, you can find great tips on how to save water and potentially lower your bills. We all use water in different ways. Knowing how much you’re using helps you make responsible choices for yourself, your household, and your community.
Hourly reads are taken and sent to us daily.
At night, the meter takes readings every 15 minutes to help with leak detection. We update your account at least once a day, so if you log into our app tomorrow, you can see today’s readings or yesterday’s readings if you log in today.
Readings will give you a clear view of the water usage in your home which allows you to better understand how you can save water.
- Leaks in your home or our wider water network can be detected more quickly.
- We have a duty of care to make sure we all use water wisely. As our population is rising, and water demand is increasing, we need to keep close watch on how much water is being used so we can always provide enough water.
- Readings help us build a better picture of how our communities use water to make sure we keep the taps flowing.
Yes. Personal information such as your name, address and bank details are not stored on your smart meter.
The meter simply records your water usage. The data is transmitted to us using a dedicated and secure wireless network.
- No data is put on the public internet.
- Smart meter data is stored securely in our systems and our partners (the network provider).
- All customer data is stored in European tenancies that comply with ISO 27001 and GDPR.
- Modern encryption methods protect smart meter data in transit between us and our partners (the network provider).
- By using modern encryption standards or a private network, smart meter data is protected.
- Smart meter data can't be used to identify the customer.
No. Smart water meters don’t need or use Wi-Fi.
We use a private and secure network.
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