Nov 21 2006
A proposal by the Water Saving Group to give the green light to water metering, where that is the best way of saving water in areas of serious water stress, has been given the Government's go-ahead for public consultation Environment Minister Ian Pearson confirmed today.
The Water Saving Group is chaired by Ian Pearson and its members include Philip Fletcher of Ofwat, Barbara Young of the Environment Agency, Yve Buckland of the Consumer Council for Water, and Pamela Taylor of Water UK , as well as representatives from Waterwise and Communities and Local Government.
The consultation on metering will take place early next year. The focus of the Group's proposals is making water companies in areas of serious water stress consider compulsory meters alongside other measures as part of a long-term plan for water resources.
Ian Pearson emphasised that this consultation would not propose national compulsory water metering, and that metering was not an alternative to a tough approach on reducing leakage.
He said:
“Increasing the coverage of water metering in areas of serious water stress must get proper consideration by the water companies, because of the water savings it will deliver. The Water Saving Group's proposals are by far the most sensible way forward because they ensure the relevant companies will incorporate metering in their draft 25 year resource management plans, which will be subject to full consultation .
“Of course, metering is not a solution in itself, and in areas where water is in short supply companies need to use the full range of measures including tackling leakage, encouraging water efficiency, and bringing on new supplies, and we must take into account any impacts on customers bills.”
The Water Saving Group's suggestion is that the process for seeking permission to compulsorily meter be embedded in water companies' 25-year resource management plans if their area is identified as seriously water stressed. The draft plans for these areas would need to include a full assessment of the cost-effectiveness of compulsory metering, taking into account sustainability, water supply and demand, costs, and the effects on customers.
The draft plans will be subject to full public consultation and will give consumers more access to information and more input into decision-making than ever before.
After consultation, it would then be for each company to decide whether or not to include a programme for introducing compulsory water metering in its final plan. These proposals would not force any water company to meter anyone, nor would they end the free meter option. However, if the case for metering is not sufficiently strong then Ministers may direct the removal of metering proposals from the final plan.
Water metering in this country already stands at around 28%, and is growing by 2% a year on a voluntary basis. The water savings made from metering are around 10% for a typical household. Recently the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee recommended making it easier for water companies in water stressed areas to impose compulsory metering.
As part of its work for the Water Saving Group, the Environment Agency is finalising work on the methodology to identify areas of serious water stress. The proposed methodology will also be subject to public consultation.
There is no suggestion that metering, or any other efficiency measure, should somehow compensate for poor performance on leakage targets for the water companies. In 1997 the Government required Ofwat to establish and enforce economic leakage targets. When it published its report on Security of Supply last week, Ofwat was categorical that it will take enforcement action, as it did against Thames Water earlier this year, if a company persistently fails its leakage targets.