Anglian Water proposes to implement compulsory metering by 2030 to protect environment as demand grows

Plans for compulsory water metering by Anglian Water need to take into account “equality impacts”, Cambridgeshire County Council has said.

Anglian Water is proposing to implement compulsory metering by 2030 as part of its water resources management plan.

The company is currently consulting on this plan, which looks at how it can meet meet the water demand growth in the area without causing deterioration to the environment.

The plan highlights main aims including increasing supply through new reservoirs, reducing abstraction levels, and reducing how much water households and businesses use.

As part of this Anglian Water is proposing to make water metering compulsory, as it said people who pay a set amount use more water on average than people who are measured on how much they use.

A report to the county council’s environment and green investment committee (March 16), said that according to Anglian Water 9 per cent of its customers have chosen to stay on unmeasured charging, where they pay a set amount for their water regardless of how much they use.

It said the management plan sets out that unmeasured customers use on average 174litres per person per day compared to 128litres on average use by people who are measured.

The report said: “Anglian Water believes that all customers should pay on the basis of what they use and proposes to implement compulsory metering by 2030.

“The [management plan] acknowledges the impact of this on those who use a high level of water that may be beyond their control to reduce, but believe they have the right financial support packages for all customers for whom this would present an affordability challenge.”

In the county council’s proposed response to the consultation it said: “Cambridgeshire County Council would wish to see further evidence of the need for compulsory metering and a full Equality Impact Assessment to demonstrate that an adverse impact on any group can be reduced and managed appropriately.

“Your report states that nine per cent of your customers are on unmeasured charges: do you know which social or economic demographic this nine per cent belongs to?”

The authority added that it would “wish to see future commitment” of measures from Anglin Water to reduce the amount of water leakage.

The response also says the water company should educate customers before introducing compulsory metering if they are expected to reduce their water usage by around a third.