Water companies and the water sector face huge challenges over the coming decades if Water UK's 2050 vision and the Government's environmental targets are to be achieved.
New report by Frontier Economics and Artesia, commissioned by Arqiva, shows AMI metering - that provides continuous meter read data - can deliver up to £2.2bn net benefit across England and Wales six times that of alternative, drive-by' solutions
Connecting smart water meters to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) is a low regret' investment under an adaptive planning framework.
Report calls on Ofwat and water companies to facilitate an accelerated rollout of always-on connected water metering - AMI technology - in the forthcoming PR24 / AMP8 period
May 23 2022, UK, London: A new research report has laid out how the rollout of always-on connected water metering, providing continuous data - specifically Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) - has the potential to deliver significant benefits for the environment, water companies and society as a whole.
The independent research, undertaken by Frontier Economics and Artesia, commissioned by Arqiva, concluded that the adoption of AMI can enhance customer engagement and experience, improve company performance, deliver better environmental outcomes and enable greater regulatory compliance.
Water companies and the water sector face huge challenges over the coming decades if Water UK's 2050 vision and the Government's environmental targets are to be achieved.
The research shows that through increased data insight and customer involvement, always-on water metering will help to tackle issues pertaining to the climate emergency, water scarcity and pressing customer and societal demands brought about by an increasing population. Building on the cost benefit analysis commissioned by Arqiva in 2021, the research suggests AMI can deliver up to £2.2bn in net benefit across England and Wales if implemented and used with the right level of ambition.
The research directly compared the benefits of AMI with that of Automated Meter Reading (AMR) solutions, where meters transmit to either hand-held or vehicle-mounted readers on a periodic basis. While all smart metering has a positive business case, this research shows that AMI allows far greater benefits and for these to be secured faster. The benefits which the different options were assessed on include adaptive planning and resilience, impact on company performance commitments and additional data benefits. In the event of water companies fully embracing AMI, it provides six times the benefit of AMR. Always-on connected water metering can provide the data needed to take action to reduce costs, for example through reduced leaks, and support water customers to take action to reduce bills..
Owing to the increasing reliance on data and technology to meet best practice within the sector, the research suggests that water companies should consider that any delay to their investment in AMI would likely impact their ability to achieve leakage, sustainability and consumption reduction targets.
In response to the unprecedented challenges that the water sector faces, Ofwat has asked that companies build resilience and adaptability into their plans. While aware that AMI requires wider investment, this new research by Artesia and Frontier recommends that Ofwat robustly challenge water companies on whether they have considered the entire spectrum of benefits which the most advanced metering options may enable.
Ultimately, the inclusion of always-on connected water metering, providing continuous data - specifically Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) - in PR24 (Ofwat's price review for 2024 which will set wholesale price controls for water and sewerage companies for 2025 to 2030) represents a tangible way for the UK and its water companies to counter some of the challenges outlined in Water UK's 2050 Vision and to help meet the Government's environmental targets.
From a consumer standpoint, being able to see continuous consumption data and leakage notifications engaged those customers in understanding their use of water, leading to faster and cheaper leak reduction and personal consumption reductions as evidenced by those companies who have already invested. For vulnerable customers, the cost benefits analysis opens the door to innovative tariffing because even without usage based charging, the business case is still robust and positive.
Water companies and Ofwat are faced with a choice about how ambitious they want to be in the run up to PR24 and AMP8. The societal, environmental, and economic benefits of deploying the most advanced technology, specifically AMI, are clear, and a lack of ambition will impede water companies' ability to meet leakage and consumption targets and to secure the accurate and timely data required to help customers take action to reduce their water bills. The immediacy of the environmental and cost of living issues we face means that government, regulators and industry must work together to support and accelerate the adoption of always-on connected water meters.
Laurie Patten, Director of Strategy and Regulation at Arqiva
We know from previous research that there is a solid case for smart metering. However, what these findings illustrate is that a rollout enabling always-on connected water meters, specifically AMI, would better facilitate social and environmental benefits for society as a whole, driven by data.
Rob Lawson, Director at Artesia
Our findings show that AMI represents a low-regret investment and enables more ambitious outcomes for customers and society. It is more cost effective than AMR in achieving consumption reduction, leakage efficiency and carbon abatements, while also being a resilient option in light of potential climate and demand cha
Most recent headlines
09/11/2025
Dalet today announced a transformative leap forward for media operations: Agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI) that unifies the Dalet ecosystem under one natura...
28/10/2025
ESPN Announces Monsters Funday Football', Its Latest Real-Time Animated Bro...
28/10/2025
SVG All-Stars: Catherine Chalfant, Manager, Remote Operations, ESPNThe Ole Miss alum is an operational force behind ESPN's extensive college-football catalo...
28/10/2025
Elevating the experience: AI and data take Ryder Cup to the next level By Joe OHalloran
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 - 10:25
Print This Story
NBC produced th...
28/10/2025
Conquering the Air (waves): Taking a close up look at the IBC Accelerator Priva...
28/10/2025
World Series 2025: Spectrum SportsNet LA Brings Dodgers Fans Closer to the Actio...
28/10/2025
Dylan Southern and Benedict Cumberbatch at the premiere of The Thing with Feathers (photo by George Pimentel / Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)...
28/10/2025
For three weeks in Lagos, Spotify's Greasy Tunes Caf pop-up brought the cit...
28/10/2025
Once a niche subculture, German rap has evolved into an influential cultural movement. Now, Spotify is giving the genre a new home with OFFCULT, a playlist dedi...
28/10/2025
Shane Delia's Malta serves up the Mediterranean this summer
28 October, 2025
Media releases
Feast on 9,000 years of culinary history Mondays from 24 No...
28/10/2025
SBS's global sporting festival continues with the FIVB Beach Volleyball Worl...
28/10/2025
Bilbao, October 28, 2025 - AgileTV, a leading technology solutions company for t...
28/10/2025
Disney, NBCUniversal, FOX, Paramount Each Achieve Double-Digit Monthly Growth
...
28/10/2025
CINCINNATI The E.W. Scripps Company has announced an agreement to sell WRTV, its local ABC-affiliated station in Indianapolis, to Circle City Broadcasting for $...
28/10/2025
Berklee College of Music and Berklee Valencia Named to Billboards 2025 Top Music...
28/10/2025
NEW YORK As AI usage continues to spike, a new study from IAB delves into an important aspect of how AI is transforming the advertising business with new data s...
28/10/2025
Charlie Jablonski, a broadcast tech pioneer who helped shape the modern era of Olympics television coverage, died Oct. 25 at his home in Lake George N.Y., the N...
28/10/2025
VIENNA, Austria Bitmovin has launched Bitmovin Observability, a new stand-alone video data solution that delivers real-time insights into video playback. The so...
28/10/2025
LOS ANGELES LucidLink, the file streaming platform, has announced a Frame.io integration and expanded mobile capabilities at Adobe Max....
28/10/2025
Mediagenix, a global leader in smart content solutions to profitably connect the right content to the right audience, today announced that it has joined the Ama...
28/10/2025
Lightware, an industry leader in connectivity and signal management solutions, has announced a major update to its Taurus
platform, which now delivers flawless...
28/10/2025
Following a successful mid-September International Broadcasting Convention in Amsterdam, Hiltron Communications will promote its full range of satellite communi...
28/10/2025
Open Broadcast Systems has chosen MC&S (Media Consulting & Services) as a reseller to help strengthen its presence in France.
With over twenty years of experi...
28/10/2025
Bitmovin, leading provider of video streaming solutions, has launched Bitmovin Observability, a new stand-alone video data solution that delivers real-time insi...
28/10/2025
Ease Live, the leader in interactive TV technology, today announced the successful launch of interactive graphical overlays for UEFA Champions League matches fo...
28/10/2025
LucidLink, the file streaming platform, today at Adobe MAX announced a Frame.io integration and expanded mobile capabilities, streamlining collaboration and hel...
28/10/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has promoted Nick Hasenecz to general manager of WNDU, its NBC affiliate in the South Bend-Elkhart, Ind., market....
28/10/2025
Applications Open for Berklee Fenway Neighborhood Improvement Grant Boston nonprofits can apply by December 12 for funding to support community projects that ...
28/10/2025
28 Oct 2025
VEON's JazzCash Wins Silver Award for Innovation in Lending at ...
28/10/2025
Guests include Wayne Rooney, Maya Jama, Dame Laura Kenny, Chloe Kelly, Chris McC...
28/10/2025
The two-hour special, recorded live from the iconic Dolby Theatre in LA, will ai...
28/10/2025
Eutelsat upgrades teleports with Rohde & Schwarz satellite uplink amplifiers High efficiency and resilient Ku-band amplifiers for excellent RF performance
...
28/10/2025
These appointments come at a pivotal time for ABC, as the organisation continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of a digital-first media ecosystem. The ne...
28/10/2025
Scripps Research awarded $4 million to advance platform for neurodevelopmental disorders The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) grant support...
27/10/2025
You can touch this: Haptics becoming central to the virtual live experience By Adrian Pennington
Friday, October 24, 2025 - 09:12
Print This Story
The vid...
27/10/2025
A tale of two trailers: France's Stop & Go doubles up with its new hybrid tr...
27/10/2025
Pro Padel League Stages City's Cup Finals Inside NYC's Hammerstein Ballr...
27/10/2025
World Series 2025: Sportsnet Delivers Made-in-Canada' Moment for a Nation U...
27/10/2025
ESPN Extends Partnership With Sony's Beyond Sports To Expand Animated Altern...
27/10/2025
Reid Davenport attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Life After at The Ray Theatre on January 27, 2025, in Park City, UT. (Photo by Robin Marsha...
27/10/2025
As the days grow shorter and the nights get darker, there's nothing like getting swept up in a story that sends shivers down your spine. In honor of spooky ...
27/10/2025
UPDATE: Both parties have reached a new carriage agreement....
27/10/2025
LONDON As Hollywood jumps into the production of mini-dramas, a new study from Ampere Analysis finds that more than one in 10 internet users have watched drama ...
27/10/2025
LONDON Yealink, a provider of unified communication and collaboration solutions, has joined the NDI ecosystem with the availability of its SmartVision 80 premiu...
27/10/2025
ATLANTA Gray Media has named Chris Conroy as general manager of its stations in Cleveland, leading WOIO, a CBS affiliate, The CW station WUAB and Telemundo outl...
27/10/2025
ESPOO, Finland European connectivity leaders Nokia and Ericsson, have partnered with Berlin's Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), to shape and drive ...
27/10/2025
PHILADELPHIA Comcast has expanded NOW TV Latino, its Spanish-language live TV and streaming offering, adding five more channels from Univision, ViX Premium with...
27/10/2025
Test & measurement innovator, Leader Electronics, will present its latest products and solutions at InterBEE 2025 (Hall 5, Booth 5218) Makuhari Messe in Chiba, ...
27/10/2025
Back to All News
City of Shadows, the New Netflix Thriller Arrives on December 12
Entertainment
27 October 2025
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Downl...
Water companies and the water sector face huge challenges over the coming decades if Water UK's 2050 vision and the Government's environmental targets are to be achieved.
