Thames Water is facing scrutiny following claims that it has been installing smart meters without prior consultation.
One resident from Surrey, who chose to remain anonymous, raised objections after a Thames Water representative purportedly arrived unexpectedly to install a smart meter.
The person told The Telegraph: “The first thing we heard about this was when someone turned up on our doorstep unannounced telling us he wanted to install a meter.”
A Thames Water spokesperson told Energy Live News: “We are currently rolling-out smart meters in areas around London and the Thames Valley. We’re eight years into our smart metering journey, with the technology playing a critical role in addressing leaks, reducing water consumption, and making our water network more resilient in the face of a growing population and climate change.
“We continue to invest and expand our smart meter rollout and we’re fast approaching one million today, expanding to, 1.1 million by 2025, 2 million by 2030 and 2.8 million by 2035.
“Smart meters incentivise customers to use water wisely, as they will only be charged for the water they use. They also help us to tackle customer side leaks, protecting water supplies in the process.
“Whilst we don’t need permission to fit smart meters, they are the fairest option for customers, as people only pay for the water they use. On average metered customers tend to use 12% less water.
“The South East of England is a water stressed region and we need to act now to protect our future resources. We have legal powers to fit water meters at all properties in our region. Under legislation consumers cannot refuse a smart meter, however, we always assess the suitability of a meter for each property. We will always write to customers to advise them of our smart meter rollout.”
