Every five years, we update our plan for how we’ll look after water in our region. It’s called our Water Resources Management Plan, which gets approved by the Environment Agency, DEFRA and the Secretary of State for the Environment.

As well as working to complete our smart meter rollout by 2030, our ongoing plans include fitting meters at homes without one and moving customers to measured charges to help them use less water and reduce the risks we’re facing from climate change and population growth in the region.

We started switching customers in April 2025 and we’re currently working through the areas of our region that are most water stressed.  Which means where we see the biggest potential gap between the water available to us and the amount of water being used by our customers.

Nearly nine out of ten customers already pay measured charges based on the water meter installed at their home, which means they only pay for what they use.

The system of paying ‘Water Rates’ or Rateable Value is based on a value applied to homes back in March 1990 and includes factors like the size of your home, the number of rooms, and your local amenities. Although the Rateable Value of your home is no longer set by councils, we must still legally base our charges on those values, where a meter is not fitted.

We believe that charging on the basis of what customers use is fairer as it better reflects the amount of cost involved in cleaning, treating and supplying the water customers use.

No - because a lot of the customers we’re switching to measured charges already have a meter, we’re able to see from those meter readings that around two out of three customers would pay less by moving to measured rates. 

The majority of customers who ask to have a meter fitted and move onto measured rates typically stay on measured charges as they are better off.

Ofwat regulate charging rules that govern how water companies set their bills to make sure that they are fair and transparent. They regulate the amount of revenue each company is allowed to charge customers through their water bills.  We set charges in order to work within this allowance, based on the forecast of customer numbers and how much water they expect to use. This applies to customers on measured and unmeasured rates.

As our region is classed as extremely water stressed, regulators support programmes, from water companies, to install more meters and move customers to measured charges if those activities are included in the Water Resources Management plan (WRMP). In our latest WRMP, revised in April 2025, we included these measures along with our smart meter rollout as ways to help customers use less water at home.

The independent body that represents the interests of customers, Consumer Council for Water (CCW) agree that paying measured charges through a water meter is the fairest way for customers to pay for their services.

Yes – our plan is to move all customers over to measured charges by April 2030 using a meter. When fitting a meter isn’t possible we’ll look to move customers to Assessed Measured Charges.

Our region (with the exception of Hartlepool) is officially classed as water stressed by the  government departments - Department for Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency (DEFRA/EA).  This means we can give customers what’s called a ‘Measured charge notice’ and move them onto measured rates – even if they haven’t opted in themselves. It also allows us to fit meters at homes without one, and move those customers onto measured charges rather than remain on unmeasured rates.

Rather than choosing customer groups based on usage for the rollout, we’re going to the areas of most water stress first. We believe this is the fairest way to roll out measured charges and because the majority of customers should see lower bills after they switch, it means as well as saving water.  More customers should get a benefit sooner rather than just switching higher users.

As part of this switching programme, we’ll continue to fit meters in homes without one.  Whether customers ask to have one fitted or where it’s practical and cost-effective for us to fit one on their behalf. We’ll do this alongside moving customers onto measured charges where they already have a meter fitted, over the next five years.  

For customers asking for a new meter to be fitted, as this switching program comes to your area, we’ll automatically switch you to measured charges the following April, even if you’ve switched from measured to unmeasured rates since then.

For example, if customers get a meter fitted and move to measured rates in May 2026, if the switching programme has reached their area, they’ll move to measured charges automatically from April 2027, even if they’ve chosen to move back to unmeasured charges before then.

If we fit a new meter at your property where there isn’t one already (and you haven’t asked us for one) we’ll write to you directly to let you know we’re fitting meters to homes in your area and contact you to do a survey at your home to find the best place to fit one.

Our teams work around-the-clock to maintain and improve the network of pipes, pumps and sites. We use the latest technology like satellites (the same technology as NASA) to help find and fix leaks before they become a problem. And this work never stops, as our teams are always finding new ways to make sure there is enough water for everyone, both now and in the future. Explore more around how our teams protect our vital water resources here.

You’ll automatically move onto our Standard Tariff once you switch to measured charges.  You can find out more about these rates here. You can also check if you’re eligible for one of our discounted tariffs by completing our Extra Care Assessment online or by calling us on 0800 169 3630.

When you switch to measured charges you’ll no longer be sent an annual bill around February each year. Instead, you’ll get a bill based on the water you’ve used over the year after we’ve read your meter.  If you’ve not got a smart meter and we’ve not been able to read your meter we’ll use an estimated reading.

When we confirm you’ve switched to measured charges, we’ll give you an indication of what your likely charges for the next year will be and what that means for your payments.

For customers who pay by monthly direct debit, we’ll automatically adjust your payments to match your usage for the next year, whether that’s going up or down versus your previous unmeasured rates. You’ll also move to 12 monthly payments instead of 10.

Having looked at customer meter readings, the majority of customers have lower bills by moving to measured rates.

When our switching programme reaches your area, you’ll move over to metered charges even if you’ve chosen to switch back from measured charges previously. And if you’re within the first 24 months after having a meter fitted and you’ve opted to stay on measured charges, you’ll no longer be able to choose to move back to unmeasured rates.

When you move to measured rates we’ll automatically move you onto our Standard Tariff. You will not be able to choose a different tariff, but you may be eligible for one of our discounted tariffs, WaterSure, AquaCare, or LITE.  Check your eligibility by calling our Extra Care Team on 0800 169 3630, or complete an Extra Care Assessment application here.

If you’re worried about staying on top of your bill you can complete our Extra Care Assessment online or speak to our Extra Care Support team on 0800 169 3630.

We can make sure you're on the best tariff, look at payment plans and point you towards other help and benefits to increase your household income.

Yes – if you already have a meter at home you can choose to move to measured charges before our programme comes to your area. You can choose to switch in MyAccount or by calling us on 03457 919 155. You can check if you have a meter here.

However, once our switching programme comes to your area, you’ll move over to metered charges even if you’ve chosen to switch back from measured charges previously. And if you’re within the first 24 months after having a meter fitted and you’ve opted to stay on measured charges, you’ll no longer be able to choose to move back to unmeasured rates.

As part of our meter fit programme, we’re looking to install meters where it’s practical and cost-effective for us to fit one. In situations where that’s not possible, we’ll move you onto an assessed measured charge instead, to give a fairer view of what you’re using at home. This involves having a conversation with one of our team to find out some information about your water usage - like how many people are living at home, the number of showers you all have, and water use in the garden etc.

Absolutely – you might not realise that typically around 70% of the water we use at home is in the bathroom, so things like keeping showers to a maximum of 5 minutes can make a big difference or turning the tap off while brushing your teeth. There’s lots of small swaps and changes you can make in the kitchen, bathroom, and garden that can help you use less at home. Take a look at our water saving tips here. 

We’ve lots of helpful resources to help you make simple checks to find your leak and guidance to help you get it fixed here. And if eligible you’ll be able to claim a leakage allowance when it’s fixed, this is where we may reduce your bill to cover the cost of the water that was lost because of a leak.

Whether you have a smart meter or not – they are there to capture the amount of water passing through the meter so we can make sure your bills match what you’ve used. Smart meters transmit this data back to us every hour which we match to the serial number on your account and can use to tell you if you have a leak and update your usage information in MyAccount.

No – water meters are only used to show how much water passes through it so we can know how much water a property is using. We use that information for billing, finding leaks and planning future demand for water. It’s not possible to remotely control a water meter to turn on or off the flow of water.

We take our customers’ privacy seriously, and always follow the Data Protection Act 2018 for any personal information we collect and hold.

If you want to know more about what we do with your information, including how to exercise your data protection rights please read our Privacy Notice at anglianwater.co.uk/privacy or call us on 03457 919 155. You can also get further information on your data protection rights and our obligations under the Act by visiting the Information Commissioner’s website at www.ico.org.uk or by on 0303 123 1113.