Water meters are currently only ‘compulsory’ in areas designated as the most serious of water shortage conditions. But new proposals being consulted on next year will likely bring compulsory water metering to many areas without water companies having to go though the cumbersome legal procedures.

A proposal by the Water Saving Group to give the green light to water metering, where that is the best way of saving water in areas of serious water stress, has been given the government's go-ahead for public consultation environment minister Ian Pearson confirmed yesterday.

And it’s likely the use of new powers will mean widespread use of compulsory water meters. Folkestone and Dover, recently granted Water Scarcity Area Status by the government, has launched a programme to meter around 90% of domestic customers.

Moreover, new water meters could be high-tech radio-read types, more expensive to customers, but cheaper for the water companies to read.

The Consumer Council for Water, the consumer champion for water in England and Wales has welcomed as 'common sense' new government proposals for consultation on more widespread metering in seriously water-stressed areas.

Dame Yve Buckland, chair of the Consumer Council for Water said: "These proposals show a common sense approach to metering. Widespread metering makes most sense in those areas which most need it: one size doesn't fit all water consumers.”

"Metering is the fairest way to pay, but only 28% of consumers currently have a meter.”

“But metering must be fair in practice as well as in principle. We will work with the water industry and the government to make the current support offered to customers on low incomes more effective, and we'd like to see a scheme offering more substantial help."

Meanwhile, the water company regulator, Ofwat said water companies should prepare for another dry winter that will further reduce supplies for next year.