noted that these refer to different time periods and sample sizes (sub-samples of the total sample) and therefore should only be seen as indications and not as directly comparable. Table 20: Decrease in water consumption attributed to the switch to metering Decrease in water Average decrease in Time / Billing period consumption consumption 1st month of meter installation (3 months prior (baseline) to switch to metered bills) 2nd month after installation 12.5% - 16.5% Anticipation -37 litres (2 months to switch to (depending on the effect metered bills) method of calculation) 3rd after installation -50 litres (1 month prior to switch to metered bills) 1st bill (6 months after switch) -34 litres (Switch to metered account) 2nd bill (12 months after - 43 litres switch) Switch 13.5% 3rd bill (18 months after effect - 47 litres switch) 4th bill (24 months - 51 litres switch) 5th bill (30 months after - 50 litres switch) Information No significant effect of information campaigns effect (preliminary results comparing households with new In conjunction with meter meters with households in the area with existing installation meters that experienced the same information campaign as with meters) The average decrease in consumption attributed to the trial installation is a 13.5% reduction in the water consumption of an average household (from 373 to 323 litres) in the two and a half year period following the meter installation. Research Works (2016) on behalf of the Consumer Council for Water and Southern Water in their qualitative study of customers’ experiences of universal metering found that the impact of water saving advice alongside metering was limited. Whilst metered customers felt that their meter had made them more conscious of their water consumption, this heightened awareness of water use had not consistently translated into a change in water
noted that these refer to different time periods and sample sizes (sub-samples of the total sample) and therefore should only be seen as indications and not as directly comparable. Table 20: Decrease in water consumption attributed to the switch to metering Time / Billing period Decrease in water consumption Average decrease in consumption Anticipation effect 1st month of meter installation (3 months prior to switch to metered bills) (baseline) 12.5% - 16.5% (depending on the method of calculation) 2nd month after installation (2 months to switch to metered bills) -37 litres 3rd after installation (1 month prior to switch to metered bills) -50 litres Switch effect 1st bill (6 months after switch) (Switch to metered account) -34 litres 13.5% 2nd bill (12 months after switch) - 43 litres 3rd bill (18 months after switch) - 47 litres 4th bill (24 months switch) - 51 litres 5th bill (30 months after switch) - 50 litres Information effect In conjunction with meter installation No significant effect of information campaigns (preliminary results comparing households with new meters with households in the area with existing meters that experienced the same information campaign as with meters) The average decrease in consumption attributed to the installation is a 13.5% reduction in the water consumption of an average household (from 373 to 323 litres) in the two and a half year period following the meter installation. Research Works (2016) on behalf of the Consumer Council for Water and Southern Water in their qualitative study of customers’ experiences of universal metering found that the impact of water saving advice alongside metering was limited. Whilst metered customers felt that their meter had made them more conscious of their water consumption, this heightened awareness of water use had not consistently translated into a change in water trial
WT1562p8-Water-Efficiency-and-Behaviour-Change-REA-FINAL.docx