Smart metering programme

Water meters benefit both businesses and the environment by encouraging efficient water use and reducing waste. They play an important role in helping us to provide a reliable supply of top-quality drinking water and ensure that taps keep flowing.

In the south east we live in an area of water stress. This means that we must be careful to balance the needs of our customers and the environment. Introducing smart meter technology will help to make sure we have enough water for everyone. For your business, this means it'll be easier to measure usage, catch leaks early and reduce waste without you having to think about it.

We're installing smart meters because they:

Enable control over your bill.

Your smart meter will measure your daily water usage giving you more control over your costs. Your water retailer will use the data from your smart meter to calculate your bills, eliminating estimated billing. This means your bill will be more accurate and you’ll only pay for the water you use.

Detect leaks early, even hidden ones.

By finding and fixing leaks quickly, we can help prevent significant water loss and costly potential damage to your premises. As well as helping your business to avoid any disruption, your smart meter will help you to save money on your bill.

Enable us to understand how your business uses water.

Smart meters give us a clear view of how your business uses water, helping make sure that there is enough water for everyone.

Help achieve your business sustainability goals.

By using water more efficiently you will save money, reduce waste and protect the environment.

We will be installing smart meters for non-household customers from January 2026 and we aim to have all our meters smart by 2035.

Our rollout is taking place in phases and we will get in touch before we come to your area.

If your business premises does not have a water meter fitted, you will not be part of the smart metering programme.

If you would like to have a water meter installed, please contact your retailer.

If the smart meter stops working or you think something is wrong, please call us on 0333 323 3790.

No, the smart meter does not need or use Wi-Fi to connect. Your readings will be automatically sent to your water retailer using a private and secure network.

Traditional water meters only measure how much water your business uses and need someone to come out and take a reading.

A smart meter does much more than just measure usage - it provides close to real-time usage data to help your business manage water more efficiently. Your smart meter can also spot unusual usage patterns which may help to detect a leak early. Using less water is not only better for the environment - it may also help your business meet its sustainability goals too.

No, the smart meter will automatically send readings to your water retailer, without you having to do so.If you want to read your meter manually, you will still be able to do this.

We understand how important it is for your business to keep taps flowing, so we’ll work with you to minimise any impact on your business.

If you have any concerns, please contact our Business Customer Service team on 0333 323 3790 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

The smart meter will typically take around 10 minutes to fit, however this may differ based on what’s happened since the current meter was installed. We will keep you updated during the process.

If your business has a large meter installed, the installation could take longer and we may need to book an appointment with you to complete the work. Don’t worry, If we need to do this we will let you know in advance to keep disruption to a minimum.

The engineer will leave a card after installing the smart meter. This card will show the location of the new meter, which is usually the same place as the old meter.

The engineer will also give a What3Words(opens in a new tab) location. What3Words gives every location a unique three word address to make it easy to find. The What3Words app can be downloaded on both Android and iOS devices.

We’ll get in touch with you before we come to install the smart meter.

You may not need to be there when the smart meter is installed. If we need to access your premises we will arrange an appointment with you to do this.

If you’re not at your business, we’ll pop a card through your door to let you know that the smart meter has been installed. We will also let you know what you need to do if we have not been able to install your smart meter.

We're really sorry you're having problems with your water pressure after the smart meter was installed. It’s important you let us know so we can get your water pressure back to where it should be.

Please call our Wholesale team on 0333 000 0018 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm). For emergencies outside these hours, call 0333 000 0365 and we’ll help resolve this.

We need to turn your water supply off for a small amount of time while we install the smart meter.

If you have no water once the installation is complete, please contact our Wholesale team on 0333 000 0018 (Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm). For emergencies outside of these hours, please call 0333 000 0365.

Don’t worry, we’ll return to your property as quickly as possible and get your taps flowing again.

If you spot a leak after the smart meter has been installed:

• Turn off your water supply if you can
• Call our Wholesale team on 0333 000 0018 (Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm). For emergencies outside of these hours, please call 0333 000 0365.
• We’ll look into whether the leak is because of the installation or an issue with your existing pipework, and let you know what to do next.

Please note, we are not responsible for repairs to leaks within your property boundary.

If you have a leak following the smart meter installation, we know you could be worried about paying for water that's been lost.

Please contact our Wholesale team immediately:

• Call our Wholesale team: 0333 000 0018 (Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm)
• Emergencies outside of these hours: 0333 000 0365

We will arrange to repair the leak. Please contact your water retailer directly to apply for a leak allowance, as they are responsible for managing your billing.

Yes, in our area, meter installation is compulsory. This policy is set under the Water Industry Act 1991(opens in a new tab) and supported by Ofwat and Defra to help manage regional water shortages in areas classified as seriously water stressed. (opens in a new tab)

This means you’ll need to provide reasonable access to your premises so we can carry out the installation. Don’t worry, we’ll work with you to arrange a convenient time.

All our employees carry photo ID – please ask to see it if you’re not sure.

If you're unsure about anyone claiming to be from South East Water, please call our customer service team on 0333 000 0018.

Yes, business information such as the name, address and bank details are not stored on the smart meter.

The smart meter only records how much water your business uses. This data is then sent to your water retailer automatically through a secure wireless network.

You can read more about how we use your data in our privacy policy.(opens in a new tab)