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<p>Southern Water is developing its next Water Resources Management Plan and its draft
plan included the proposed to update water meters with smart meters across its customers
by 2030 through an extensive replacement programme. The company plans to undertake
10,000 household water audits per year. The company is due to reconsult on its plan
this summer. It will not be granted permission to finalise its plan until Defra are
satisfied that it is appropriate, including assurance that the water efficiency programme
is robust, sufficiently ambitious and enables customers to be efficient with the water
they use.</p><p> </p><p>Most water efficiency interventions by water companies are
directed to water use within properties. Southern Water have not specified measures
beyond smart metering that directly involve the meter chamber. Water meters are normally
water company property and measures in the meter chamber would not usually be undertaken
by customers.</p><p> </p><p>Southern Water reported through its 2022/23 annual review
that it had undertaken smart water meter trials in 1500 homes. The average water use
across Southern Water households was 128 litres per person per day in 2022/23, in
line with its forecasts and below the latest national average of 141. The Environment
Agency and Defra track whether water companies are effectively reducing water consumption
across household and business customers each year and escalate concerns where applicable.</p>
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