The threat of potential water shortages and the government’s 9% non-household reduction target mean there’s never been a greater need for businesses to manage their water effectively. Plans are already being put in place by Wholesalers to roll out smart water meters for the non-household market, but what does that mean for your business?
Greater control over your water
Smart water meters will play a crucial role in business water efficiency, by helping Wholesalers, Retailers and your business to understand trends in consumption. You’ll be able to view data about your usage at more regular intervals, making it easier to spot any unusual spikes in consumption and cut down on water use, and in turn, costs.
Accurate billing
Your Retailer will use the regular, precise data provided by smart meters to help calculate your bills, meaning you’ll pay more accurately for what you use. If you’re not submitting regular meter reads, your current payments will not be as accurate as when we know the amount of water you’re using. Help avoid any surprises and start sending monthly reads today. Then, when your smart meter is installed and set up, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your consumption data is being automatically submitted to your Retailer on a regular basis.
Less water lost to leaks
When you submit readings daily, weekly or monthly, it makes it easier for you to spot any unusual spikes in consumption that could indicate a leak. Access to regular, accurate data from smart meters will enable you to identify and investigate any issues quickly, which should help reduce the risk of receiving a much higher bill than you expected.
The Government has set a target to reduce leakage by 31% by 2038 so your Retailer and Wholesaler1 will also use your data to keep track of your usage and may contact you if it looks as though you have a leak. If you do receive a letter or email, it’s important you look into it straight away.
No need for manual readings
Depending on where your water meter is located, it might be difficult to manually take and submit reads on a regular basis. With a smart water meter in place, there’s less risk to the health and safety of your employees as you won’t need to take or submit readings; your data will be automatically uploaded to our system, saving you time and in some cases, money.
A more sustainable business
The roll-out of smart water meters is designed to give you greater visibility over your consumption so you can make informed decisions about how you use water. Implementing sustainable practices and making positive changes will not only protect the future of our water supply but can help you to work, and track your progress towards your own net zero and sustainability goals too.
When is the roll-out expected to happen?
While the roll-out has been identified as a key measure in Wholesalers’ water resource management plans, for many, it’s still in the planning stage and is subject to change. It could be up to ten years before your business gets a smart meter depending on your Wholesale region, so investing in data collection devices such as Automatic Meter Readers (AMRs) is a great way to start achieving your water-saving goals now. AMRs make it easy to monitor and track your consumption so you can make responsible decisions about how you use water. If you’re worried about investing in an AMR when there’s the possibility you’ll have a smart meter not long after, there are shorter term or year-by-year options, just speak to us and we’ll try to help you.
For more information on Automatic Meter Readers and how they might benefit your business, please see our data collection page.
1 Wholesalers are appointed companies who own and operate the pipes, mains and treatment works and sell water and wastewater services to Retailers. Retailers provide businesses with water services and packages, delivering competitive and tailored services to customers.
