Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy that householders may choose a conventional or analogue water meter instead of a wireless smart water meter where their water supplier is rolling out water metering; and if he will make a statement.

Metering can be a fair way of charging for limited water resources. As circumstances are very different in different regions, the Government does not take a blanket approach to metering policy. In areas of serious water stress where there may not be enough water available to meet demand, a water company can include plans for metering all of their customers in their Water Resources Management Plan. In all other areas, household customers are entitled to have a meter installed free of charge by their water company on request, but cannot be required to have one fitted. Thetype of water meter to fit is a matter for the water company to decide.