Water meter usage 'should increase'

09/12/2009

Water metering could improve the fairness of customer billing - but could also carry some risks for consumers.

This is the view of the Consumer Council for Water (CCW), which was reacting to the results of an independent review backing reforms for the present system.

Regulator Anna Walker wrote in the review that billing households for their water depending on the property's rateable value is outdated and that use of gas and electricity-style meters should be increased.

This could allow households to pay bills which are more accurately keyed to their actual use of the utility.

Commenting on the review, the CCW spokeswoman said: "It is particularly important that [Ms Walker] coupled her proposals for more meters with suggestions on what could be done to help those who may struggle to afford their new metered charges.

"Protection would, however, need to be in place before a large scale switch to metering."

Currently, around one in three UK households have already fitted water meters.

Ms Walker's review said that this proportion should increase to 80 per cent by 2020.

Tags; Housing Debt and Bills, Young Family Finances, Retirement Money Problems,

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