Sheffield smart meter exchange hits 10,000-mark

Yorkshire Water’s smart meter exchange has already hit the 10,000 milestone just two months from launch, with customers in Sheffield the first to adopt the technology.

It’s the start of a five-year roll-out that will result in 1.4 million water meters exchanged across the whole of the Yorkshire.  Smart water meters in homes and businesses across the region, will help to spot leaks, help customers save money, and help us all to save water.

Smart meters are the next step in water meter technology, with readings in near real-time and captured digitally without the need for a manual reading.  Customers will soon have visibility of their daily, weekly and monthly water usage on their online account.  This greater visibility will help Yorkshire Water manage water usage and customers can see how small changes can help them to use less water and make financial savings on their overall water bill.

The smart meter roll-out started in Sheffield at the beginning of the year and will see over 160,000 meters exchanged across the digital city and south Yorkshire by March 2026.  The five-year programme ends in Huddersfield with the final meters exchanged by 2030, installing 1.4 million smart meters on completion.

James Wilson, Manager of Smart Metering Delivery, Yorkshire Water, said: “The smart metering programme is replacing life expired meters with new Smart meters. This will help with early leakage detection, support demand reduction initiatives and give customers a better understanding of their water usage. 

“Investing in asset health in this scale will help to create a smart, resilient and calm water network.  By converting to smart metering, Yorkshire Water can make sure its water supply is robust, efficient and sustainable. We can better understand water demand and target water efficiency. 

“We started our smart meter programme journey in 2022 and since that date we have saved over 2,000,000 litres of water per day, just by identifying leaks in customers’ pipes.  As the smart meter exchange continues, we will be able to continue with these improvements and be able to provide our customers with a better, more reliable service.” 

Netmore provides the smart meter remote reading technology through its wireless network infrastructure.  This partnership provides a seamless and secure data transmission that supports Yorkshire Water’s targeted service improvements, enhanced customer support, and usage efficiencies.

Dominic Murphy, Director of Network Delivery at Netmore, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Yorkshire Water on this important project over the next few years. We’re collaborating with our infrastructure partner, local businesses, and residents in Sheffield to create a strong and reliable network using both existing towers and rooftops, ensuring comprehensive coverage for critical resource management.” 

Contract partners, Morrisons Water Services (MWS) are contacting customers in the Sheffield area, to let them know when the old meter will be exchanged for a new smart meter.

Liam Saddler, head of operations (metering), Morrisons Water Services said: “Our teams are reaching out to customers to let them know that we are on the way. In most cases, new smart meters will be fitted in the same location as the existing meter. In general, smart meters will be in meter chambers in the road, footpath, or garden. For most customers it should be straightforward replacement of the existing meter and in many cases, engineers won’t need access to homes. If meters are internal, they will be fitted next to the first tap of the house, usually under the sink.

“The customers will benefit from regular communication, data at their fingers tips, and the sheer volume of meter installation to preserve water over the next five years.”

Yorkshire Water is working towards halving leakage across the network by 2050.  Smart metering will give greater visibility of what is happening across the network in hourly readings. Customers will be able to see unusual or unexpected readings on their online account and Yorkshire Water will be able to detect leakages early, before they become bursts, which can be both costly and disruptive. 

Some smart meter stats and facts:

Yorkshire Water has 60%-meter penetration. 

1.55 million customers with meters (includes new build properties)

1.4 million meter exchanges to roll out  

165,000 new smart meters to be installed in new developments or for customers requesting to have a meter installed. 

91% of the existing meter network will reach the end of its operational life by 2030. 

All water companies have a target to reduce leakages by 50% by 2050. 

This is a five-year programme starting in 2025 – 2030. 

7.73 million litres per day reduction in leakage by 2030

6% reduction in water consumption per capita by 2030

Increased early leakage detection will lead to an increased efficiency in service delivery.