Smart Thinking – Metering for Business Customers

This research was carried out in partnership with MOSL – the business water market operator – and on behalf of the Strategic Panel’s Metering Committee.

It gauged business customers’ views on the potential benefits to be gained from the widespread rollout of smart water meters. This technology enables direct two-way communication between businesses and water companies around their water usage. The benefits range from more accurate readings to simplified billing, as well as savings in both time and money. We also looked at whether businesses already with smart meters perceived these benefits.

Thinking further ahead, we wanted to understand how these kinds of benefits could apply to business customers in England and Wales – and what, if any, additional benefits could be realised from having enhanced metering technology.

Our findings revealed there is a sense among businesses in general of the potential for greater financial and operational efficiencies through the use of a smart water meter. Moreover, among businesses that already have smart metering, a clear majority (91%) found that it provided useful information.

However, the research also made clear the extent to which smart water metering remains an unfamiliar concept to many businesses. Understanding of the technology is poor, meaning certain benefits regarding time and cost savings, as well as greater energy efficiency, may be underappreciated or unknown to many.

If new smarter metering technologies are rolled out across the water system – something that 82% of businesses would support – then there needs to be an emphasis on properly communicating the potential benefits, whether financial, environmental or organisational, particularly to smaller businesses.