Compulsory water metering could significantly reduce water use and protect the South East from shortages due to climate change and growing demand says the South East England Regional Assembly. Responding to Government consultation, the Assembly has called on South East water companies to ask the public whether compulsory water metering in homes should be allowed to help reduce water use.

Water meters, shown to reduce consumption by 10%, have been fitted in all newly built homes since 1990 but, at present, can only be installed compulsorily in older homes when there is a change of occupant. This means that 72% of homes in England and Wales do not have meters and, in many, the lack of meters, coupled with inefficient appliances, means that a great deal of water is wasted.

Cllr Keith Mitchell, Chairman of the Regional Assembly said:

"The Assembly believes metering is the fairest way to charge for water - similar to gas and electricity, paying for what you use - and we think it's time the public were consulted on their use. As a general rule, single occupants and couples or families living in large houses with high rateable values, tend to save by having a water meter installed. We have also stressed the need for a variable tariff to be explored to protect vulnerable customers who may have to pay more. Failure to change people's wasteful ways with water could have a serious impact on the South East and water metering is a fairer and more effective way to do it."

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, Assembly PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Assembly Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. The South East England Regional Assembly is a partnership of councils and communitities in the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region, which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
2. The Regional Assembly is made up of 112 members including elected councillors nominated by the region's local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations) as well as the New Forest National Park Authority.
3. The Assembly has four key roles:
• Advocacy
  pressing the South East's interests in London and Brussels.
• Accountability
  scrutinising the plans and performance of regional bodies such as SEEDA to align the region's priorities.
• Regional planning
  preparing and delivering the South East Plan - the 20-year statutory plan for the region that sets the framework for the sustainable development of the South East.
• Regional policy
  advising Government on the co-ordination of regional strategies and spending priorities for housing, transport, planning and economic development to improve the impact of public expenditure.

Our vision is for a distinctive, outward-looking, accessible region of prosperous, sustainable communities, with a high quality of life and environment.

Last updated: 21 August 2007