Residents around Buckinghamshire have received letters from Thames Water announcing that they 'cannot refuse' the installation of a smart meter in their homes.

Members of the Facebook group Wooburn Green and Bourne End Open Discussion exchanged opinions this week on letters received by members of the community stating that Thames Water was planning to fit smart water meters in their houses. 

There was debate among residents whether the smart meters were compulsory or not, with one person writing: “We never opted for a water meter, and it appears we may be getting one, even though we live in an old build home.”

However, another said that they “didn’t understand” why anybody wouldn’t want a meter in their house, adding: “We have them for other utilities, so why not water? Otherwise, how would you know if you are being charged for what you use?”

Thames Water is currently rolling-out smart water meters in areas across London and the Thames Valley as part of a “journey” that a spokesperson said has been ongoing over the last eight years but has recently expanded to reach almost one million households.

They added: “Technology plays a critical role in addressing leaks, reducing water consumption and making our water network more resilient in the face of a growing population and climate change.

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 “Whilst we don’t need permission to fit smart meters, they are the fairest options for customers, as people only pay for the water they use. On average, metered customers tend to use 12 per cent less water and they help us to tackle customer side leaks, protecting water supplies in the process.”

The spokesperson said that South East England’s status as a “water-stressed region” necessitates ongoing action to “protect future resources”, adding that Thames Water is aiming to up the smart meter roll-out to two million by 2030.

They also said that while residents are not legally able to prevent the installation of a smart meter at their homes, each property is individually assessed by the utility company to gauge its suitability for the scheme.

“We have legal powers to fit water meters at all properties in our region and under legislation, customers cannot refuse them. However, we always assess the suitability of a metre for each property and we will always write to customers to advise them of our smart meter roll-out.”