CLIENT
South West Water
THE RESULTS
175,000Smart meters installed across the programme
90,000+Installed in FY25/26 alone
0.037 %Vendor Concern Report rate is 0.02%
Year 3Of sustained programme delivery, ongoing
THE CONTEXT
Pressure on the network is rising
The water industry is under growing pressure. Population growth, climate change and ageing infrastructure are all adding strain to limited water resources, and water companies are expected to expand supply while reducing leakage and improving efficiency against tightening regulatory targets. Historically, limited real-time visibility of consumption and leakage has left the sector relying on unmeasured assumptions and reactive, costly approaches.
Smart metering is central to changing that. The sector is rolling out more than 10 million smart meters across the UK within the next five years, supporting a shift to data-led, smart water networks. These meters give continuous insight into demand and network performance, making it possible to identify leaks and abnormal consumption earlier and respond more effectively. Smart metering is expected to support reductions in household water use of around 10 to 15%, and to contribute to leakage reduction targets, including 17% by 2030.
It also lowers costs. Early leak detection minimises water loss and avoids expensive repairs, while accurate data reduces billing errors, complaints and call centre demand. It improves field planning too, reducing repeat visits and increasing productivity. From a sustainability perspective, smart metering helps reduce consumption, protect resources and lower carbon emissions.
THE CHALLENGE
Volume at pace, without losing control of quality
South West Water required delivery of a large-scale smart meter rollout across a diverse region, with several challenges to manage:
- delivering high volumes of installations at pace across both urban and rural locations
- managing a mix of meter exchanges and retrofit installations, which increased operational complexity
- ensuring consistent quality, safety and data accuracy across a rapidly expanding workforce
- reducing billing errors, customer contacts and abortive visits through accurate asset data capture
- maintaining performance during the rapid onboarding of new operatives.
our approach
A dedicated programme, built for scale
We built a dedicated programme structure around the rollout, with management, planning, customer liaison, field supervisors and health and safety oversight all in place from the start. That let us mobilise rapidly and scale delivery without losing control of quality, supported by competency-based onboarding, field validation and supervised sign-off as new operatives came on board.
Operational control
Day-to-day delivery was held together by robust operational controls: daily and weekly capacity planning, route and appointment optimisation, and efficient logistics and stock management.
Accurate data at the centre
End-to-end data workflows ensured accurate capture of meter details, commissioning and exception management, with mandatory photo evidence and a clear audit trail for every installation. Quality assurance and continuous improvement ran throughout, including field audits and photo validation, targeted retraining, and feedback loops through Vendor Concern Reports, so issues were identified early and resolved at source.
Throughout, the team embedded customer-first behaviours: clear communication, respect for people’s property, and the right support for customers in vulnerable circumstances.
PROGRAMME AT A GLANCE
Delivered across the South West
- daily and weekly capacity planning
- route and appointment optimisation
- efficient logistics and stock management.
- accurate meter serial capture
- photo evidence and a full audit trail
-
correct commissioning and pairing
- clear exception coding to minimise repeat visits.
Client
Region
Scope
Meter Technology
Status
what this proves
Large-scale delivery, held to a high standard
The programme delivered more than 175,000 smart meter installations across exchanges and retrofits, including more than 90,000 completed in FY25/26 alone, demonstrating sustained high-volume delivery over a three-year period.
Quality performance remained exceptionally high. Just 0.037% of installations resulted in a Vendor Concern Report. Through continuous improvement and targeted training, performance was improved further to approximately 0.02%, with the early challenges linked to new-starter ramp-up successfully addressed.
Operationally, the programme improved data integrity and auditability through standardised workflows, reduced billing exceptions and customer queries, and increased first-time resolution rates, lowering the need for repeat visits. Enhanced tooling and improved coordination also drove greater efficiency on site.
This programme shows what integrated, data-led delivery looks like at scale: high installation volumes delivered at pace, held to a consistently high standard, with accurate data captured at every step. It reflects the way we work across water networks and intelligence, and we look forward to continuing to support South West Water as smart metering expands across the sector.
work with us
Planning a large-scale metering or leakage programme?
We combine strong field delivery, technical control and reliable data to give water companies measurable, repeatable results.
