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<h1 class="op_sm_page" style="text-transform:uppercase;">
Saving water 
gets smart</h1>
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<p class="op_sm_page white_lead_text">We’ve committed to providing smart water meters to over 40% of the homes and businesses we supply in the next 5 years and all customers in 8 years.</p>
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<h1 class="op_sm_page blue" style="text-transform:uppercase">
Saving water 
gets smart</h1>
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<p class="op_sm_page lead_text blue">We’ve committed to providing smart water meters to over 40% of the homes and businesses we supply in the next 5 years and all customers in 8 years.</p>
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<a href="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/metering/moving-to-metering/"><p class="op_sm_page white" style="margin-bottom:0; text-align:center">Are we moving you to metering? Get all the information you need to know →</p></a>
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<h2 class="op_sm_page blue">Why smart water meters?</h2>
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<p class="op_sm_page blue">Our region's precious water resources are under increasing pressure, so we’re taking action to ensure that our community enjoys plentiful water for generations to come.</p>

<p class="op_sm_page blue">With smart water meters set to help save 25 million litres of precious water a day by 2035, we're securing a sustainable future water supply for all of us.</p>

<p class="op_sm_page blue">We’ll be kicking off our plans with some smaller areas this year, before we ramp up smart water metering in December 2025. If we’re coming to you, we’ll write to you to let you know.</p>
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<h2 class="op_sm_page white" style="text-align:center">How smart water meters will help us save water</h2>
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<h3 class="op_sm_page white">Speedy leak detection</h3>

<p class="op_sm_page white">Smart water meters will help us find and fix leaks faster than ever before. They could save up to 10 million litres of water each day by making leaks easier to spot.</p>
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<img src="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Speedy-leak-detection.jpg" alt="Speedy leak detection"/>
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<h3 class="op_sm_page white">Real-time usage insights</h3>

<p class="op_sm_page white">No need for an in-home display – you’ll access your water use data through your online account and bills, empowering you to make simple changes that add up to big water savings.</p>
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<h2 class="op_sm_page blue" style="text-align:center">Frequently asked questions</h2>
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<h3 class="op_sm_page blue">General information</h2>

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[op_accordion_item title="What are smart water meters?"]
<p>Smart water meters measure and communicate water use from your home to our systems in near-real time. You'll be able to track your smart water data in your online account and in your bills. This gives you greater control and a clearer understanding of your water usage, making it easier to spot where you could save.</p>

<p>Smart water meters could save up to 10 million litres of water each day by making leaks easier to find, and therefore fix. </p>

<p>The meter itself is usually installed onto the pipework in the ground outside a property or in a meter box on the outside wall of your home. </p>
<p>Unlike energy or gas, smart water meters don’t have an in-home display. Instead, you access your water use data through your <a href="https://myaccount.portsmouthwater.co.uk/" target="_blank">online account</a>, as well as on your bills.</p>
<p>Portsmouth Water will not actively monitor how much water you use or how you are using water.</p>
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[op_accordion_item title="How do smart water meters work?"]
<p>Smart water meters are normally placed outside the property and collect and send data to us showing the flow of water into your property via a secure network. </p>
<p>Our smart water meters communicate this data through a secure radio network in two steps:</p>
<ul>
<li>The meter sends hourly readings to a nearby communications device</li>
<li>The communications device transmits these hourly readings in batches every 4 hours to our central system.</li>
</ul>

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[op_accordion_item title="What are the benefits of smart water meters?"]
<p>By acting now, we're ensuring a sustainable future water supply for all of us. Here’s how smart water meters will help:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Speedy leak detection</strong><br/>
We’ll be able to find and fix leaks faster than ever before. We estimate that 22 million litres of water could be saved every day if we could see exactly where leaks on the pipes are. 
</li>
<li><strong>Real-time usage insights</strong><br/>
No need for an in-home display! You'll access your water use data through your online account and bills, empowering you to make simple changes that add up to big water savings. Evidence shows having one can reduce water use by up to 12% per household.   
</li>
</ul
<p>We’ve already made significant progress over the past year in finding and fixing leaks, having invested more in repair resources and adopting new leakage detection technologies. We’ve reduced leaks by 12% and detected almost 40% more leaks, saving 4 million litres of water per day. </p>
<p>We forecast that we will save 25 million litres of water by 2075 through installing smart water meters in our region.  </p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Do I get an in-home display with my smart water meter?"]
Unlike energy or gas, smart water meters do not come with an in-home display. You'll access your water use data through your <a href="https://myaccount.portsmouthwater.co.uk/" target="_blank">online account</a> and bills, empowering you to make simple changes that add up to big water savings.
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[op_accordion_item title="What smart features are available in my online account?"]
<p>If you’ve just got a new smart water meter, then you are one of the first to get one and will have access to new features in your <a href="https://myaccount.portsmouthwater.co.uk/" target="_blank">online account</a> as we develop them. </p>
<p>In time, you’ll get your water use data followed by new developments like...</p>
<ul>
<li>bespoke water efficiency insights </li>
<li>a handy water savings tracker</li>
<li>and even a new app!</li>
</ul>
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[op_accordion_item title="Are smart water meters compulsory?"]
<p>Yes. It’s up to all of us to protect our water and there is clear evidence that smart water meters help us do this. That’s why we’re only using smart meters from now and deploying them to everyone over the next 8 years.</p>
<p>We have a legal obligation to manage the water supply in our region as set out by our regulator. To protect our precious water, we need to make it much easier to find leaks and faults. We also have a responsibility to help our customers and our communities become more water efficient and aware of water use in the home.</p>
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[op_accordion_item title="Are smart water meters safe?"]

<p>Yes, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has advised the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smart-meters-radio-waves-and-health" target="_blank">radio waves produced by smart water meters aren’t a risk to health</a>. Our smart water meters are low powered, emitting far fewer radio waves than a mobile phone. They comply with UK and EU safety regulations.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Do smart water meters need a Wi-Fi connection?"]

<p>No. Smart water meters don’t need or use Wi-Fi. They communicate through a private and secure network.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Do I need to pay for a smart water meter to be installed?"]

<p>We’ve made a commitment to invest more in our water network and improve our work in finding and fixing leaks. Our plan to supply smart water meters will help with this, plus give our customers better understanding of water use trends from the smart water meter readings. </p>
<p>These plans are established within our price review process with Ofwat. </p>
<p>Your installation is part of these improvements to our water network and you will not pay for your meter. </p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Can a smart water meter turn off my water supply?"]

<p>No. Smart water meters don’t have the ability to turn off your water supply.</p>

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<h3 class="op_sm_page blue">Getting a smart water meter</h2>

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[op_accordion_item title="When will I get a smart water meter?"]

<p>From 2025, we’ll begin fitting smart water meters in every home we supply. Our plan is to have them in place everywhere by 2035. Smart water meters will help you save water and money, and they’ll also help us find leaks faster.</p>

<p>We’ll be working area by area, starting with the PO6 and PO7 postcodes. We’ll fit meters where they’ll make the biggest difference first, taking into account factors like areas with higher leakage levels, or where more people live.</p>

<p>We’ll write to you when it’s time to fit a meter in your area. There’s nothing you need to do until you hear from us.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="How and where are smart water meters installed?"]

<p>Our trusted partners, Cappagh, will fit your meter. They’ll have ID cards, branded uniforms and van, so you know it's them. Most of the time there’s no need to be at home, so don’t worry if you aren’t in. We’ll always knock - just in case you are.</p> 

<p><strong>I already have a water meter outside</strong></p> 

<p>If you already have a meter, we’ll place the new smart water meter where the existing meter is. In most cases, this is on the outside stop tap in the pavement or in a meter box outside your home. It takes us around 30 minutes to complete the job.</p> 

<ul> 

<li>We’ll need to briefly turn off the water.</li> 

<li>When we’re finished, we’ll post some helpful information through your door. </li> 

</ul> 

<p><strong>I don’t have a meter</strong></p>  

When our technician visits, if you’re in they’ll let you know they’ve arrived and that the water will briefly be off.  

<ul> 

<li><strong>Preparing the area</strong> – we’ll dig a small section (about the size of a paving slab) near your property boundary to get access to the water supply pipe. We’ll make sure the area is safe and tidy while we work.</li> <li> <strong>Resurfacing</strong>– within 24 hours, we’ll fill and resurface the hole using the same or similar material. At first it might look a little different, but it will settle over time.</li> 

<li><strong>Fitting the meter</strong> – when we return to fit your new smart water meter, we’ll need to turn your water off for around 10 minutes. We’ll fit the meter on the external stop tap, check everything is working, and then turn your water back on. We’ll also leave you an information pack.</li> <p> 

</ul> 

<p>If, for any reason, we’re not able to fit your meter as planned, we’ll let you know what happens next.</p>  

<p><strong>Once your meter is installed</strong></p> 

<p> We recommend you run your kitchen cold tap for at least 10 minutes before using the water to flush out any air that may have entered the pipes, and then for five minutes over the next three days. Sometimes the water can appear cloudy or slightly discoloured, but don’t worry. This is normal and doesn’t pose any health risks.</p> 

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<h3 class="op_sm_page blue">Understanding your water use</h2>

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[op_accordion_item title="Can I see what I use per activity?"]

<p>Smart water meters measure how much water is being used, but they don’t collect data based on what you are doing. </p>

<p>You’ll be able to track your own water use through hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly readings, which will help you to understand what activities might be using more water, and where you might be able to save. </p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Will my water use be available in real-time?"]

<p>Once you start getting readings, the most recent one will show as yesterday’s date. This is because the meter readings take between 12-24 hours to reach our systems. </p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Can Portsmouth Water control how much water I use?"]

<p>No. If for some reason your water use has spiked, or is showing consistent high use, we’ll let you know and advise you.  </p>
<p>We also recognise that some people need to use more water than others for specific reasons. So rest assured, your smart water meter does not have the ability to turn off your water.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Will I be able to compare how much water I used before I had a smart water meter to now?"]

<p>If you had a water meter before you got your smart water meter and you don’t change how you normally use water at home, your bill should be the same.  </p>
<p>There are cases where older meters can become less accurate and may record less water use, so a more precise smart water meter may show slightly higher water use. </p>
<p>Your water use data will be available in your <a href="https://myaccount.portsmouthwater.co.uk/" target="_blank">online account</a> to help you more easily identify your water use trends.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="What if I have a leak?"]

<p>If we suspect there could be a leak at your property, we’ll let you know once we have seen high continuous use and advise you on what to do next.</p>
<p>There are a few reasons why your water use might be high. It could be because of faulty fittings like dripping taps or leaking loo valves, or because you’ve had people over to stay. </p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Why does my water use graph show a sudden spike or gap?"]

<p>Sometimes you might see missing data or a sudden jump in your smart wate meter readings on your online account. This doesn’t mean the meter has used more water suddenly, it’s usually because the data couldn’t be sent to us for a short time.</p>
<p>Your smart meter keeps recording water use even when it can’t connect to our network (for example, if the signal is temporarily blocked by something like a skip, parked car or van).</p>
<p>Once the connection is back, the meter automatically sends through all the stored readings in one go. This can make your usage chart show a spike, even though your actual use was steady during that time. Your bill is always based on accurate readings.</p>

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<h3 class="op_sm_page blue">Smart water meter data and privacy</h2>

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[op_accordion_item title="What information do smart water meters collect?"]

<p>Smart water meters collect and send data showing the flow of water into your property via a secure and private network. </p>
<p>Once we have installed a Smart Water Meter at your home, we will collect water consumption data and other data from your meter including:</p>
<ul>
<li>Your meter serial number</li>
<li>The type of meter you have installed</li>
<li>Meter readings that will tell us how much water you have used.</li>
<li>The meter monitors a number of alarm parameters which tell us that there may be a problem with your meter (e.g. continuous flow, backflow).</li>
</ul>
<p>Water consumption data, together with other data associated with your smart water meter is regarded as personal data as outlined in our <a href="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/about-us/legal-notice/" target="_blank">Smart Water Meter Privacy Notice</a>.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Can I access the data collected by my smart water meter?"]

<p>You can request a copy of any data we collect as explained in <a href="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/about-us/legal-notice/" target="_blank">our policy</a>.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="How secure is the data collected from my smart water meter?"]

<p>Data collected from your smart water meter is secure. Our <a href="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/about-us/legal-notice/" target="_blank">Customer Privacy Notice</a> has more information about the data we collect, what we use it for and how we look after it. </p>
<p>We also have a <a href="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/about-us/legal-notice/" target="_blank">Smart Water Meter Privacy Notice</a> with more information about smart water metering data.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Can I opt out of sending hourly meter readings?"]

<p>Hourly readings are necessary to be able to quickly identify potential leaks or high consumption patterns. </p>
<p>We have a statutory duty to promote the efficient use of water and smart water meter readings is one of the ways we do this. </p>
<p>If your smart water meter picks up an unusual spike or consistent high use, we’ll quickly let you know what the next steps are.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/about-us/legal-notice/" target="_blank">Find out how your data is used, stored and collected</a>.</p>

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<h3 class="op_sm_page blue">Billing</h2>

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[op_accordion_item title="How does a smart water meter affect my bill?"]

<p><strong>If you already have a water meter</strong></p>
<p>When we change your existing meter for a smart water meter, we’ll send you a bill for the consumption recorded on the old meter. As a one-off, we’ll ask you to pay this bill. You will also receive a bill from Southern Water. After that, your bills will continue as normal.</p>

<p><strong>If your property is getting a meter for the first time</strong></p>
<p>We’ll send you a final bill to pay covering the charges since your last bill to the date the meter is installed. Six months from that final bill date, you'll get your first metered bill based on the smart water meter readings. You'll then receive your metered bills every six months.
We'll stay in touch to help you make small changes that save water.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="Does my smart water meter affect my wastewater charge?"]

<p>If you have a water meter, your supply and sewerage bills are linked. The smart water meter measures the incoming water, and the outgoing wastewater is normally worked out as a percentage of what was supplied (e.g. 92.5% for household customers). So, if you use less water at home, you might see some savings in your wastewater charge.</p>

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[op_accordion_item title="How do I read my smart water meter?"]

<p>You don’t need to read your smart water meter. All readings are communicated through the meter directly to us and to you through your <a href="https://myaccount.portsmouthwater.co.uk/" target="_blank">online account</a>.</p>

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<a href="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/environment/saving-water/" class="op_sm_page_link"> <div class="op_sm_page image-box" data-bg-image="https://www.portsmouthwater.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Start-saving-water-today.png">
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      <h3 class="op_sm_page white">Start saving water today!</h3>
      <p op_sm_page white>Simple actions - like turning off the tap while brushing - can make a big difference.</p>
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      <h3 class="op_sm_page white">Let’s save water together</h3>
      <p op_sm_page white>What we're doing to secure safe, reliable drinking water for the future.</p>
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