THE MAGAZINE FOR THE DRAINAGE, WATER & WASTEWATER INDUSTRIES
WATER PAGES
2025 metering challenge.
Is the water sector ready for mass smart meter rollout?
Xylem’s water company partners are working hard to plan for forthcoming large-scale installations. Those with schemes already underway are very hands-on and able to share valuable insights and lessons learned with others across the sector.
When Xylem started supplying smart meters to UK water companies, we were mainly talking to operational managers. Now, partly due to the strong directives from regulators, the c-suite is engaging, including chief financial officers and chief executives. To have the benefits of smart meters recognised at the highest level in this way is vital – the CEO must be on board as early as possible for a successful rollout.
What training is required to manage a smart meter network?
Smart meters represent a completely new way of working, which is very different to how metering teams have worked in the past. There is likely to be a skills gap, and Xylem can support by providing additional training to utility customers and, as importantly, their installation contractors.
This is done via face-to-face training sessions, including hands-on scenarios and workshops. Providing customised training documentation and ensuring timely and ongoing support is also important to reduce wariness that can often be felt when a significant disruption occurs to usual practices which have been established over many years.
By working together, significant progress can be made. For example, Anglian Water installed over 1,000 meters per day, even during the covid pandemic, and put in place new operational procedures to streamline installation time to less than 15 minutes, from start to finish.
Is continuing to use AMR meters an option?
Some companies may ask whether they need to upgrade to smart meters when their existing processes with AMR meters work well. This is understandable - utilities are juggling multiple investment priorities
FOLLOW US
and are particularly under pressure to improve the sewer network and cut pollution.
It is also recognised that reducing leakage follows the law of diminishing returns – the better your performance, the more cost is needed to sustain it and make further improvements. Historically, this may have been a reason to delay some actions.
However, water companies no longer have the option to delay. The smart meter direction statement from Ofwat is as strong as it is possible to be, without being a mandate. Any company not wanting to install smart meters would have to provide very strong evidence with its reasons for not doing so.
Are there concerns about the cost of smart metering?
Utilities recognise the need to focus on the total cost of smart meter ownership. Total cost models will deliver the best overall value. One of the biggest costs to utilities is sending engineers out to fix or replace equipment. Xylem’s focus is on supplying the best quality product – meters that will not need repairing or replacing - at a price that delivers the most value.
Research commissioned by Xylem’s managed network partner Arqiva and
carried out by Frontier Economics and Artesia, shows that a coordinated rollout of smart water metering across England and Wales would deliver £4.4 billion in benefits to society against costs of £2.5 billion; a net benefit of £1.9 billion. Savings would come from improved leakage control and network management, and by avoiding the need for infrastructure for other water resources.
Xylem looks to develop innovative funding models to support utilities and can advise on options, such as reducing upfront capital expenditure and moving it to operational investment.
How durable are smart water meters?
Water companies are keen to learn about the technical reliability and durability of smart meters – can they withstand weather extremes, for example? Sensus meters are optimised for all conditions. Where they have been installed in parts of America, hurricanes and typhoons have been known to cause major network outages – but the smart water meters have remained operational.
If a utility can install a meter and not have to go back for 15 years, that is ideal and is what we work towards. Battery-life is also a big factor for consideration. We have
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