Customers favour smart meter outputs to be articulated in money terms

Water customers in England are most interested to engage on their water use through an app, and to see consumption in financial terms.

Those are among the findings of research from the Consumer Council for Water (CCW) into people’s expectations of smart water meters. The study looked at how customers want to receive information about their water use, how they want to interact with this information, and what would motivate them to stay engaged and change their habits.

CCW’s key findings included: 

• Most people acknowledge that tracking water use can help detect unusual water use patterns, but won’t actively engage unless water companies provide reminders and incentives.

• Customers who don’t see saving money as a potential or benefit will need tailored communications and support. Appropriate financial support will also be vital for many households.

• Apps are the most preferred way to check data from the smart water meter — customers see them as quicker and easier to use than online portals. The information should be simple, visually clear, and easy to understand.

• People prefer to see information about their water use in money terms rather than in volume terms.

• People want to understand their own water usage patterns over time, rather than compare their consumption to that of other households.