Have you ever wondered about the people who fit Bristol’s water meters? As a new starter at Bristol Water, I had lots of questions about what meters do and how they’re fitted. I went out on the road with Aleks and Craig, two of our friendly water meter fitters, to find out more.
Here’s a newbie’s guide to water metering – everything you wanted to know, but were afraid to ask…
What does fitting a water meter involve?
It’s simpler and quicker than most customers imagine.
To fit a water meter, we simply:
- Knock on the door – if a customer is in, we let them know we’re there and that the water will need to be turned off for a short time
- Locate the stop tap, open it and turn the water supply off
- Clean the stop tap chamber
- Fit the water meter by screwing it into place
- Turn the water back on and replace the stop tap cover
- If a meter cannot be fitted outside, our plumbers can arrange an appointment to see if one can be fitted inside the property.
How does billing work after a water meter is fitted?
Once the meter is fitted, we will estimate the initial bill based on the number of occupiers and level of use. After that, bills are based on regular meter readings, the rule of thumb is: if there are more bedrooms at the property than there are people, you’re likely to save money.
As the stop taps are usually outside the property, most of the time we don’t need customers to be in for meter readings. They don’t need to be in for us to fit outdoor meters either, but we always check to see if someone is in as a courtesy. We let people fill up the kettle so they can still have a cuppa while we’re working.
Why would you fit a water meter?
Switching to a meter means you only pay for the water you use. Otherwise, what you pay is based on things like the size of your house and the local area you live in – which doesn’t give an accurate reflection of how much water you use.
The Metering Surveyors get real job satisfaction from fitting meters for people who are on low incomes and all our customers. They leave the job knowing what they’ve done will probably help those people save money on their bills, which can make all the difference on a tight budget.
What’s in it for Bristol Water?
Why is Bristol Water so keen on fitting water meters that help customers save money? It’s not just saving our customers money, it’s helping us identify leaks, which in turn is supporting our "save water, save money" scheme. It supports customers with water efficiency and take control of their bills. Meaning it’s not just a cost reduction but an environmental saving too.
Meters also provide Bristol Water with useful information about water demand, which helps us to plan and manage our resources. We’re also really keen to find and fix leaks – if a meter records a sudden rise in water usage at a property, this is a telltale sign that we might need to investigate.
What makes some meter fittings tricky?
One of the main issues is locating stop taps. Most of the time, these are easy to find but we do encounter problems where they’ve been hidden under bushes, tarmacked over, or located somewhere difficult. We use metal detectors and other instruments to locate these, as well as looking at old maps and neighbouring houses for clues about where the stop tap might be.
Sometimes older stop taps need to be replaced with modern ones to make sure there’s enough space in the chamber for a meter to be fitted. This means we might need to dig a hole – tricky if there’s something like a property, wall or telegraph pole nearby. We find alternative solutions in situations like this.
What would you say to customers considering having a meter fitted?
Get one! They save most people money, and they’re usually quick and easy to fit.
Once you’ve got one, it makes you think more about how you use water. Simple things like re-using washing up water on your plants or turning off the tap when you brush your teeth can add up to a saving on your bill.
If you’re still on the fence about it, Bristol Water’s Lower Bills Promise might persuade you – if your bills aren’t lower after two years with a meter, you’ll be refunded the difference. Also, if you decide you don’t want to be on a meter within two years, you are able to revert to an unmetered bill. Most people save around £109 a year with a meter, and nine in ten of our customers save at least some money[1].
[1] Source – cheaper with a meter leaflet
