Web Week: Water meters and 'toilet tax'

The Government is keen to empower water companies to install meters in all homes, it emerged last week. One incensed reader labelled it 'toilet tax'.

People can currently volunteer for a meter. Households of three or fewer should save with pay-as-you-go. My bill, for example, dropped from £330 to £220 a year after switching.

But the industry is accused of lobbying hard for meters with an eye to hiking prices once everyone is on board. The suspicion is understandable. Some of these companies have form for robbing customers to pay shareholders. Financial Mail exposed fraud at Severn Trent in 2004, which resulted in fines and reduced bills.

Meter supporters argue that global warming will make Britain drier. The industry-backed Waterwise claims London is already drier than Istanbul. Greens also highlight the effect of rising water demand on Britain's shrinking wetlands and the carbon emissions associated with water processing.

Most people in our online poll and debate supported meters. But for many the issue was fair and liberal economics rather than ecology. As Dave S of Bedford said: 'This argument has almost nothing to do with the environment. It's about personal responsibility and paying for what you actually consume. Bring it on.'

- Andrew Oxlade, Editor - This is Money

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Incidentally, the top blog of the week (which would have been No.4 story) was Property blame game: Kirstie or Amanda?

Comments

[Lee Jones]

Well, Dave, will you still be saying "bring it on" if the government bring in a tax on the air you breath?

After all, it could be argued that there is a cost involved in keeping it clean for you to breath !

[Sue]

My normal water bill was over £400 per annum with Severn Trent. I had a meter fitted October 21st 2007; The water meter fitting is sub-contracted, which I found strange. Thought I would give it 12 months' test just to see. Use shower, (daily), w.c., (obviously), washing machine (twice a week), dishwasher (every day); have watered the runner beans and garden in the summer. I used 9 units to January 2008; 16 units to April and they didn't bill me until mid Sept. 2008. Total payments for the year £141.48p. It is worth anyone trying a meter for a while, just to see.

[ROGER BULL]

Do you really really believe that if we all reduced our water costs by fitting meters the bills (and water companies profits) would stay as low? This is just like Browns idea of insulating all our homes ~ very good idea but when we all use less energy why would the energy suppliers accept lower income and profits? Better still that Brown helps fund individually energy generation via solar - wind and ground source thermals. Of course this will never supply all our needs but it is strategically safer and means that we are in control of costs ~ but the big guns in industry would not like us to steal their profits would they?

[Don]

The people who foul the air should be the ones to pay for it to be cleaned. Remember it starts off clean.. and I don't mean a tax on farting. Or smelly food.