Regulating Water Use

"Near universal" water metering should be introduced in England and Wales to help protect supplies, the Environment Agency has recommended.The agency also says there should be rewards for water companies that reduce the amount of water they provide. Its water strategy sets out measures it thinks should be implemented to protect resources up to 2050.The report says water metering should be accompanied by suitable tariffs to protect vulnerable groups and make reducing water use more attractive.

To summarise then .. .. .. force everyone to have a meter, force them to use less water then charge those who can afford it more money for the same product as those who can't.

This idea was floated on the weekend of the MPs expenses claims revelations (porn anyone?) so slipped under most peoples radar. Voluntary water metering, and the imposition of metering when a building changes occupier have lifted the uptake of metering to a mere 10% of the possible installations. Is that because people believe they know what will happen once they have a meter?