Smart metering strategy
An overview of our long-term smart metering plan for non-household customers, which is critical to enabling accurate billing, consumer behaviour insight and reducing leakage.
A resilient water future
Smart metering will help us achieve our long-term water resilience ambitions. Here’s a snapshot of our current non-household metering landscape:
- 56,000 non-household water consumers
- 92% metered
- Non-household consumers forecast to increase by 14% by 2030
- Increase in AMR data transmission rate failures
Our smart metering plan forms part of our broader Water Network Resilience Strategy which will see us reduce leakage by more than 50% by 2040, deliver Target 100 by 2039 and achieve our non-household retail market water-efficiency ambitions.
Rollout timeline
Here’s a summary of our smart metering rollout plan:
- Trialling clip on technology during 2021
- Procurement of smart meters has started
- Rollout plan is likely to be regional with first meters being installed in February 2022
- Transition period will include AMR replacements due to limited communication technology in some parts of our region
- Meter reading may be challenging during the transition period as new technology is adopted
- More details on meter reading services in early 2022
We answer some frequently asked questions below. Please check back for regular updates as the development of our strategy and the meter rollout progresses.
Frequently asked questions
How are you thinking of making smart meter data available to retailers?
Although this is still to be defined, a Southern Water managed system is likely to be used to give retailers access to data associated with their SPIDs.
Will it be possible to fit a third-party logger on the AMI meters – or on another wholesaler’s AMI meters retailers have issues with?
We expect that our new AMI meters will be logger compatible. However, we have noted retailers’ requirements for this and will ensure it’s captured as part of the procurement of our new meter technology.
What will happen to existing retailers' loggers that have to be removed as part of the switch to AMI? Will retailers be expected to pay for another survey to refit the logger?
We wouldn’t expect retailers to pay another survey and fitting fee. We would look to keep loggers safe and reinstall or return them to the retailer, where necessary.
Will retailers be given notice when meters will switch to AMI?
Yes, our plan is to provide retailers with a forward view of where and when meters are being installed. This is likely to be on a postcode by postcode basis similar to our incident update process.
Will we be given advice on potential water quality issues as part of the switchover communications programme, similar to Southern Water’s Universal Metering Programme in 2010?
The majority will be screw replacements with minimal associated water quality risk and interruption to supplies. Where a dig or internal fit is required, we’ll send advance communication to give non-household consumers time to prepare for any interruptions to their supply or arrange access to their property.