Water firm expects meter-use rise

More than 60% of SWW customers are already on a water meter

South West Water (SWW) says it expects that as many as 80% of homes in its customer area will switch to a water meter by 2015.

Across England only 30% of domestic properties are metered. In SWW's area, it is more than twice that.

This is partly because it is the most expensive region for water in Britain, with Wessex the second dearest.

South West Water's draft five-year business plan for the period until 2015 is due to be released later.

Gap widening

BBC South West Business Correspondent Neil Gallacher said the draft five-year business plan would be "keenly scanned for clues about how bills will rise".

He said: "It's the already high water bills in the south west that have driven the popularity of water meters here.

"The average metered household pays just under �400 a year while the average household still working off rateable value pays getting on for �700.

South West Water's draft five year business plan will say that gap's likely to widen further as the number of switchers grows."

All water firms must submit their spending and pricing plans for a five-year period starting from 2010 to the industry regulator Ofwat on Monday.

The watchdog will decide whether to allow above-inflation price rises at a time when customers are being hit by other rising bills.

Ofwat is due to make its final decision by November 2009.

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