Many households may have to switch to water meters
Following approval by the government earlier this month, many consumers in the UK may be forced to switch to a water meter for their water usage, as the government and water companies argue that this is an effective way to reduce water usage in order to cope with droughts in the future. New powers have been granted to water companies to force millions of consumers to have water meters installed, which means that rather than paying a flat fee on their water usage they will have to pay depending on the amount that they use.
According to the government this could see some households reduce their water usage by around 10%, which could prove invaluable in the event of droughts in the future. It is thought that over £1 billion will be added to water bills over the next decade as a result of this plan. Government officials have stated, however, that this is an important move as droughts are expected over the next decade, despite recent flooding, and therefore the country needs to think about the importance of water conservation.
The Environment Minister stated: 'Metering saves water - around 10% per household - and it seems right to me that in seriously water-stressed areas the costs and benefits of compulsory metering are given consideration alongside other options.' At present around 30% of homes are metered, and according to figures this is rising at the rate of around 2% per year at the moment.
However, critics are arguing that there are other steps that water companies and the government should be taking before forcing water meters on households, such as minimizing the amount of water that is being lost through leakages.
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