The magic of meter reads

By Eleanor Bailey

 

Did you know, you can send us your own water meter readings? And it might just save you money on your bills...

Business water bills are based on a mix of the meter readings we take and estimates of your usage. If you send in your own reads, too, this will help to prevent estimated bills (which can sometimes be higher) and ensure you only pay for the water you’re using. Plus, regular reads will help you to spot any unexpected increases in water use – a good first sign of a hidden, and costly if un-noticed, leak.

Research suggests that lots of businesses monitor water usage, but don’t send this to their water company. Yet sending in a read only takes 2 minutes in your new online MyAccount.

Whether you’ve already got your eye on the ball or even if you’ve never thought much about your water, there’s never been a better time to start the habit of regular reads. Industry guidelines now state water wholesalers and retailers must continue billing as normal – so if your business is temporarily closed, or is using less water than normal, let it show in your bills by sending in a read.

How to read your meter

First things first, only attempt to read your meter if it’s safe to access! We don’t want anyone getting hurt.

To take a reading, make a note of all the black numbers – including any zero’s at the start. Don’t worry about any red numbers, if your meter has them, as we don’t need to know these. If you can see it on the meter, it’s helpful to note down the meter serial number too.

If you’re not sure where your water meter is, we’ve got more information on how to find your meter here.

How to submit your meter read

You can easily submit your meter read in your online MyAccount – just go to the ‘meter reading section’, enter your read, and tell us the date you took this and the meter serial number (if you know it).

If you’re still unsure about the process, there’s a handy meter read video in the help section of MyAccount too.

How often to read the meter

It’s good practice to send in a meter read at least every month, but the more frequently you can read it the better! Another benefit of regular reads is that keeping an eye on your usage will help you to spot any unusual increases, which are often the first sign of a leak.

Here’s how to use your meter to check for leaks.

 

How a meter read affects your bills

In general, the more regularly you submit reads, the more accurate your bills will be. However, depending on when you submit the read, it might not be processed in time to reflect in your immediate next bill… but it’ll keep your future bills accurate.

Sometimes we’ll still have to send estimated bills – but a meter read can mean we’ll send an updated bill to replace them.