Moving house this week, from a 3-bed terrace to a 4-bed detached.
Paying standard rates for water, it jumps from £148/year to £548/year! Its not as if more space will change our usage (family of 4), and Kielder isn’t going to dry up any time soon.

Is it worth switching to a meter?

Yes. Family of 5 (4 women & me) and we use about £250/year.

Yes.

Should be free to get it installed.

I pay £14 a month. But I’m a singleton and am careful with usage.

Bigger house drink more water just like comparing a 1.3 litre engine with a V8 engine … 😆

Water meter is the way to go as I don’t know why water is not metered. 😛

Plus if it works out at a higher cost on a meter you can swap back to rates.

I pay £14 a month. But I’m a singleton and am careful with usage.

If it’s only £14 a month why worry about usage?

It’s £14 on the meter, standard rates is £30 odd.

we moved couple years ago, ours went from £33 to £66 a month,put a meter in back down to less than £30 a month, so it worked for us. since then have put a 1000 ltr rainwater harvesting tank for garden watering,pressure washing etc working well so far.

Not entirely sure that’s worth it seeing as that’s a whole £1.70 when full!

All new homes must be fitted with water meters, and according to the water meter reader, all homes are going to be compulsory fitted from next year onwards, with automated recording of useage.

Can’t see how everyone’s usage can be monitored. That’s a monumental operation. Reckon he’s talking bobbins!

Simple flow meter on every supply pipe at all addresses monitored by internet, he said it will create a lot of new jobs for the unemployed.

It works with electric and gas supplies.

with automated recording of useage.

Yeah right.
What if there’s no electricity nearby?

or a mechanical device, my meter is mechanical works off the flow, and gets checked once every 6 months, and if they cant get acess they send out an estimated reading.

Meter reader said cost of sending readers out was costly, so internet recording worked out cheaper via a smart meter system, and it would also reduce consumption, so less demand for new resevoirs and sewage infrastructure, use less water flush less away, less baths more showers.

https://www.thameswater.co.uk/your-account/17386.htm

http://www.unitedutilities.com/AMR.aspx

or a long life battery remotely read from outside your property.

Same thing is happening with both gas and electricity meters.

If you’re in a big house but are careful with water a meter is better.

That Thames Water meter strategy is mine so you can blame me (I used to head up the water resources team).

They have powers to compulsory meter but that is not the same across the country.

The South East is **** when it comes to water (my professional opinion 🙂 )

The South East is **** when it comes to water

Thats because you don’t have enough. I’m downstream of the biggest reservoir in England and it’ll not be running out any time soon (until you buggers start shipping it down south)

I live in the south west now 🙂

Yeah right.
What if there’s no electricity nearby?

how do you think gas meters with lcd displays work?

at least with water you could install a micro turbine to charge the battery.