Why smart water meters?
Our region's precious water resources are under increasing pressure. To ensure that our community enjoys plentiful water for generations to come, we’re taking action so that we can address water scarcity together.
With smart water meters set to help save 25 million litres of precious water by 2033, we're securing a sustainable future water supply for all of us, because every drop we save through smart water meters means taking less from our environment.
We’ll be kicking off our plans with some smaller areas this year, before we ramp up smart water metering in December. If we’re coming to you, we’ll write to you to let you know.
How smart water meters will help us save water
Speedy leak detection
We’ll be able to find and fix leaks faster than ever before. We estimate that 10 million litres of water could be saved every day if we could see exactly where leaks on the pipes are.
Real-time usage insights
No need for an in-home display! You’ll access your water use data through your online account and bills, empowering you to make simple changes that add up to big water savings.
Your most frequently asked questions, answered
General information
What are smart water meters?
Smart water meters measure and communicate water use from your home to our systems. The water you use is measured in near-real time, which will help us find and fix leaks more efficiently and help you more easily identify your water use trends to help you save water in your daily life.
The meter itself is usually installed onto the pipework in the ground outside a property or in a meter box on the outside wall of your home.
Unlike energy or gas, smart water meters don’t have an in-home display. Instead, you access your water use data through your online account, as well as on your bills.
Portsmouth Water will not actively monitor how much water you use or how you are using water.
How do smart water meters work?
Smart water meters are normally placed outside the property and collect and send data to us showing the flow of water into your property via a secure network.
Our smart water meters communicate this data through a secure radio network in two steps:
- The meter sends hourly readings to a nearby communications device
- The communications device transmits these hourly readings in batches every 4 hours to our central system.
What are the benefits of smart water meters?
By acting now, we're ensuring a sustainable future water supply for all of us, because every drop we save through smart water meters means taking less from our environment. Here’s how smart water meters will help:
- Speedy leak detection
We’ll be able to find and fix leaks faster than ever before. We estimate that 22 million litres of water could be saved every day if we could see exactly where leaks on the pipes are.
- Real-time usage insights
No need for an in-home display! You'll access your water use data through your online account and bills, empowering you to make simple changes that add up to big water savings. Evidence shows having one can reduce water use by up to 12% per household.
We’ve already made significant progress over the past year in finding and fixing leaks, having invested more in repair resources and adopting new leakage detection technologies. We’ve reduced leaks by 12% and detected almost 40% more leaks, saving 4 million litres of water per day.
We forecast that we will save 25 million litres of water by 2075 through installing smart water meters in our region.
Do I get an in-home display with my smart water meter?
Unlike energy or gas, smart water meters do not come with an in-home display. You'll access your water use data through your online account and bills, empowering you to make simple changes that add up to big water savings.
What smart features are available in my online account?
If you’ve just got a new smart water meter, then you are one of the first to get one and will have access to new features in your online account as we develop them.
In time, you’ll get your water use data followed by new developments like...
- bespoke water efficiency insights
- a handy water savings tracker
- and even a new app!
Are smart water meters compulsory?
Yes. It’s up to all of us to protect our water and there is clear evidence that smart water meters help us do this. That’s why we’re only using smart meters from now and deploying them to everyone over the next 8 years.
We have a legal obligation to manage the water supply in our region as set out by our regulator. To protect our precious water, we need to make it much easier to find leaks and faults. We also have a responsibility to help our customers and our communities become more water efficient and aware of water use in the home.
Are smart water meters safe?
Yes, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has advised the radio waves produced by smart water meters aren’t a risk to health. Our smart water meters are low powered, emitting far fewer radio waves than a mobile phone. They comply with UK and EU safety regulations.
Do smart water meters need a Wi-Fi connection?
No. Smart water meters don’t need or use Wi-Fi. They communicate through a private and secure network.
Do I need to pay for a smart water meter to be installed?
We’ve made a commitment to invest more in our water network and improve our work in finding and fixing leaks. Our plan to supply smart water meters will help with this, plus give our customers better understanding of water use trends from the smart water meter readings.
These plans are established within our price review process with Ofwat.
Your installation is part of these improvements to our water network and you will not pay for your meter.
Can a smart water meter turn off my water supply?
No. Smart water meters don’t have the ability to turn off your water supply.
Smart water meters measure and communicate water use from your home to our systems. The water you use is measured in near-real time, which will help us find and fix leaks more efficiently and help you more easily identify your water use trends to help you save water in your daily life.
The meter itself is usually installed onto the pipework in the ground outside a property or in a meter box on the outside wall of your home.
Unlike energy or gas, smart water meters don’t have an in-home display. Instead, you access your water use data through your online account, as well as on your bills.
Portsmouth Water will not actively monitor how much water you use or how you are using water.
Smart water meters are normally placed outside the property and collect and send data to us showing the flow of water into your property via a secure network.
Our smart water meters communicate this data through a secure radio network in two steps:
- The meter sends hourly readings to a nearby communications device
- The communications device transmits these hourly readings in batches every 4 hours to our central system.
By acting now, we're ensuring a sustainable future water supply for all of us, because every drop we save through smart water meters means taking less from our environment. Here’s how smart water meters will help:
- Speedy leak detection
We’ll be able to find and fix leaks faster than ever before. We estimate that 22 million litres of water could be saved every day if we could see exactly where leaks on the pipes are. - Real-time usage insights
No need for an in-home display! You'll access your water use data through your online account and bills, empowering you to make simple changes that add up to big water savings. Evidence shows having one can reduce water use by up to 12% per household.
We forecast that we will save 25 million litres of water by 2075 through installing smart water meters in our region.
If you’ve just got a new smart water meter, then you are one of the first to get one and will have access to new features in your online account as we develop them.
In time, you’ll get your water use data followed by new developments like...
- bespoke water efficiency insights
- a handy water savings tracker
- and even a new app!
Yes. It’s up to all of us to protect our water and there is clear evidence that smart water meters help us do this. That’s why we’re only using smart meters from now and deploying them to everyone over the next 8 years.
We have a legal obligation to manage the water supply in our region as set out by our regulator. To protect our precious water, we need to make it much easier to find leaks and faults. We also have a responsibility to help our customers and our communities become more water efficient and aware of water use in the home.
Yes, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has advised the radio waves produced by smart water meters aren’t a risk to health. Our smart water meters are low powered, emitting far fewer radio waves than a mobile phone. They comply with UK and EU safety regulations.
No. Smart water meters don’t need or use Wi-Fi. They communicate through a private and secure network.
We’ve made a commitment to invest more in our water network and improve our work in finding and fixing leaks. Our plan to supply smart water meters will help with this, plus give our customers better understanding of water use trends from the smart water meter readings.
These plans are established within our price review process with Ofwat.
Your installation is part of these improvements to our water network and you will not pay for your meter.
No. Smart water meters don’t have the ability to turn off your water supply.
Getting a smart water meter
When will I get a smart water meter?
We’re giving customers smart water meters as part of our comprehensive plan to reduce how much water we take out of our local environment. Our installation strategy, that will reach almost every home by 2035, prioritises target areas considering factors like high leakage areas and population density.
How and where are smart water meters installed?
If you already have a meter, we’ll place the new smart water meter where the existing meter is. In most cases, this is on the outside stop tap in the pavement or in a meter box outside your home. It takes us around 30 minutes to complete the job.
When we’re installing, we’ll need to briefly turn off the water. Once it’s back on, we recommend you run your kitchen cold tap for at least 10 minutes before using the water to flush out any air that may have entered the pipes, and then for five minutes over the next three days. Sometimes the water can appear cloudy or slightly discoloured, but don’t worry. This is normal and doesn’t pose any health risks.
When we’re finished, we’ll post some helpful information through your door.
If we cannot fit a meter
Sometimes a meter can’t be installed when or how we originally planned. This might be because...
- We couldn’t access your external stop-tap
- We need to return to complete our survey, but can do this without needing you home
- We need you at home, so we’ll ask you to call us to arrange a time that’s good for you
- We have to change the stop-tap, and will go back soon to do this
Do I need to be at home?
Your meter is most likely outside and accessible, so you don’t need to be home. We’ll post some helpful information through your door once we’re done with information and next steps.
We’re giving customers smart water meters as part of our comprehensive plan to reduce how much water we take out of our local environment. Our installation strategy, that will reach almost every home by 2035, prioritises target areas considering factors like high leakage areas and population density.
If you already have a meter, we’ll place the new smart water meter where the existing meter is. In most cases, this is on the outside stop tap in the pavement or in a meter box outside your home. It takes us around 30 minutes to complete the job.
When we’re installing, we’ll need to briefly turn off the water. Once it’s back on, we recommend you run your kitchen cold tap for at least 10 minutes before using the water to flush out any air that may have entered the pipes, and then for five minutes over the next three days. Sometimes the water can appear cloudy or slightly discoloured, but don’t worry. This is normal and doesn’t pose any health risks.
When we’re finished, we’ll post some helpful information through your door.
If we cannot fit a meter
Sometimes a meter can’t be installed when or how we originally planned. This might be because...
- We couldn’t access your external stop-tap
- We need to return to complete our survey, but can do this without needing you home
- We need you at home, so we’ll ask you to call us to arrange a time that’s good for you
- We have to change the stop-tap, and will go back soon to do this
Your meter is most likely outside and accessible, so you don’t need to be home. We’ll post some helpful information through your door once we’re done with information and next steps.
Understanding your water use
Can I see what I use per activity?
Smart water meters measure how much water is being used, but they don’t collect data based on what you are doing.
You’ll be able to track your own water use through hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly readings, which will help you to understand what activities might be using more water, and where you might be able to save.
Will my water use be available in real-time?
Once you start getting readings, the most recent one will show as yesterday’s date. This is because the meter readings take between 12-24 hours to reach our systems.
Can Portsmouth Water control how much water I use?
No. If for some reason your water use has spiked, or is showing consistent high use, we’ll let you know and advise you.
We also recognise that some people need to use more water than others for specific reasons. So rest assured, your smart water meter does not have the ability to turn off your water.
Will I be able to compare how much water I used before I had a smart water meter to now?
If you had a water meter before you got your smart water meter and you don’t change how you normally use water at home, your bill should be the same.
There are cases where older meters can become less accurate and may record less water use, so a more precise smart water meter may show slightly higher water use.
Your water use data will be available in your online account to help you more easily identify your water use trends.
What if I have a leak?
If we suspect there could be a leak at your property, we’ll let you know once we have seen high continuous use and advise you on what to do next.
There are a few reasons why your water use might be high. It could be because of faulty fittings like dripping taps or leaking loo valves, or because you’ve had people over to stay.
Smart water meters measure how much water is being used, but they don’t collect data based on what you are doing.
You’ll be able to track your own water use through hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly readings, which will help you to understand what activities might be using more water, and where you might be able to save.
Once you start getting readings, the most recent one will show as yesterday’s date. This is because the meter readings take between 12-24 hours to reach our systems.
No. If for some reason your water use has spiked, or is showing consistent high use, we’ll let you know and advise you.
We also recognise that some people need to use more water than others for specific reasons. So rest assured, your smart water meter does not have the ability to turn off your water.
If you had a water meter before you got your smart water meter and you don’t change how you normally use water at home, your bill should be the same.
There are cases where older meters can become less accurate and may record less water use, so a more precise smart water meter may show slightly higher water use.
Your water use data will be available in your online account to help you more easily identify your water use trends.
If we suspect there could be a leak at your property, we’ll let you know once we have seen high continuous use and advise you on what to do next.
There are a few reasons why your water use might be high. It could be because of faulty fittings like dripping taps or leaking loo valves, or because you’ve had people over to stay.
Smart water meter data and privacy
What information do smart water meters collect?
Smart water meters collect and send data showing the flow of water into your property via a secure and private network.
Once we have installed a Smart Water Meter at your home, we will collect water consumption data and other data from your meter including:
- Your meter serial number
- The type of meter you have installed
- Meter readings that will tell us how much water you have used.
- The meter monitors a number of alarm parameters which tell us that there may be a problem with your meter (e.g. continuous flow, backflow).
Water consumption data, together with other data associated with your smart water meter is regarded as personal data as outlined in our smart water meter privacy notice.
Can I access the data collected by my smart water meter?
You can request a copy of any data we collect as explained in our policy.
How secure is the data collected from my smart water meter?
Data collected from your smart water meter is secure. Our customer privacy notice has more information about the data we collect, what we use it for and how we look after it.
We also have a smart water meter privacy notice with more information about smart water metering data.
Can I opt out of sending hourly meter readings?
Hourly readings are necessary to be able to quickly identify potential leaks or high consumption patterns.
We have a statutory duty to promote the efficient use of water and smart water meter readings is one of the ways we do this.
If your smart water meter picks up an unusual spike or consistent high use, we’ll quickly let you know what the next steps are.
Smart water meters collect and send data showing the flow of water into your property via a secure and private network.
Once we have installed a Smart Water Meter at your home, we will collect water consumption data and other data from your meter including:
- Your meter serial number
- The type of meter you have installed
- Meter readings that will tell us how much water you have used.
- The meter monitors a number of alarm parameters which tell us that there may be a problem with your meter (e.g. continuous flow, backflow).
Water consumption data, together with other data associated with your smart water meter is regarded as personal data as outlined in our smart water meter privacy notice.
You can request a copy of any data we collect as explained in our policy.
Data collected from your smart water meter is secure. Our customer privacy notice has more information about the data we collect, what we use it for and how we look after it.
We also have a smart water meter privacy notice with more information about smart water metering data.
Hourly readings are necessary to be able to quickly identify potential leaks or high consumption patterns.
We have a statutory duty to promote the efficient use of water and smart water meter readings is one of the ways we do this.
If your smart water meter picks up an unusual spike or consistent high use, we’ll quickly let you know what the next steps are.
Billing
How does a smart water meter affect my bill?
If you already have a water meter
When we change your existing meter for a smart water meter, we’ll send you a bill for the consumption recorded on the old meter. As a one-off, we’ll ask you to pay this bill.
You will also receive a bill from Southern Water.
Does my smart water meter affect my wastewater charge?
If you have a water meter, your supply and sewerage bills are linked. The smart water meter measures the incoming water, and the outgoing wastewater is normally worked out as a percentage of what was supplied (e.g. 92.5% for household customers). So, if you use less water at home, you might see some savings in your wastewater charge.
How do I read my smart water meter?
You don’t need to read your smart water meter. All readings are communicated through the meter directly to us and to you through your online account.
If you already have a water meter
When we change your existing meter for a smart water meter, we’ll send you a bill for the consumption recorded on the old meter. As a one-off, we’ll ask you to pay this bill.
You will also receive a bill from Southern Water.
If you have a water meter, your supply and sewerage bills are linked. The smart water meter measures the incoming water, and the outgoing wastewater is normally worked out as a percentage of what was supplied (e.g. 92.5% for household customers). So, if you use less water at home, you might see some savings in your wastewater charge.
You don’t need to read your smart water meter. All readings are communicated through the meter directly to us and to you through your online account.