Local Water Metering Drive

10.44.13am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 27th Nov 2006

Thames Water has told Vincent Cable MP that it is pressing ahead with a trial scheme to convert houses in Twickenham to meters (also Kingston, Bexley and Croydon). The conversion will take place when there is notice of a change in occupancy and will be made available free to the new owners (at present, there is free metering but only if customers actively seek it or in newly built houses).

Vincent Cable said: "After the water supply scare this summer there is more awareness that water is a scarce resource. Metering cuts use, on average, by 10%. It is not a panacea and cannot easily be applied in blocks of flats. But the benefits are becoming more apparent."