Water meters are said to reduce demand

From this week, in a trial run, all homes in the south London areas of Bromley and Croydon will get meters for free when the occupants change.

The firm said the trial would help it learn how best to install the meters and what effect it had on consumption.

Water regulator Ofwat will have to give its approval before the company can install meters in all London homes.

The company has imposed a hosepipe ban and was considering a drought order, which it eventually decided against, to cope with the low levels of water this year caused by a lack of rainfall.

Precious resource

Thames Water said the policy of installing the meters will help in the future as demand increases, but supplies reduce due to drier seasons and climate change.

Thames Water has written to solicitors and estate agents to inform them of the changes to its policy.

Homeowners will be informed when they contact the company to say they are moving home.

Vanessa Clark, Head of Metering at Thames Water, said: "Water is becoming an increasingly precious resource.

"Population growth and climate change will both increase demand in years to come, and we have to keep pace with these changes to ensure that adequate supplies are available.

"Past experience suggests the installation of meters reduces demand for water, but we want to better understand this.

"We have chosen Bromley and Croydon for our studies because water resources in south London are already under great pressure, so there is a real need to preserve supplies."

Thames Water is currently conducting two other trials in Swindon in Wiltshire and Chigwell, Essex.