Water utilities in the UK are forecast to invest $1.3 billion in smart water metering, networking and analytics over the next decade. Study includes a bottom-up forecast for each of the 12 water utilities
The United Kingdoms water sector is in the midst of numerous structural changes that should allow the total value of its advanced metering market to more than triple in value by 2027. These are driven by advances in smart water infrastructure but more importantly by regulations that are among the strongest in the world in terms of mandating leakage reduction and managing water scarcity.
Investment will be unevenly distributed among the country’s 12 utilities, which are responsible for planning and implementing their own strategies, given their operational, financial, and water resource constraints. The bulk of investment can be attributed to two factors – the continuation of the utilities’ existing metering policies and a substantial shift in the financial and economic regulatory structure that dictates which investments the utilities will be allowed to make. As a result, the majority of utilities have already established metering investment plans through 2030. With regulations trending towards increased conservation and criticism of water utilities increasing, it is likely that metering – and overall smart water infrastructure – will only increase throughout the next ten years. This will jumpstart a market that is noteworthy in the developed world for its low metering rate. Overall, the UK utilities will cumulatively invest nearly $1.3 billion in smart water infrastructure over the next ten years.
Key questions answered in this study:
- What are each UK utilities’ investment plans for the next ten years?
- How large will the smart water infrastructure market be in the UK?
- How quickly will UK water utilities switch to AMI metering?
- How will new regulations in 2019 affect the market?
- Who are the leading vendors in the market?
Table of Contents
i. Executive summary
1. Market overview
2. Regulatory framework
3. Market forecast
4. Utilities
5. Vendors
6. Appendix
Appendix I: PR19 details and analysis
Appendix II: Smart water overview
Appendix III: Methodology
Appendix IV: Company and abbreviation lists
List of Figures and Tables:
Summary of utility metering activity and plans from 2010 – 2030
Table 1.1: UK water utilities: key information
Figure 1.1: UK utilities by meter type (2016)
Figure 1.2: UK utilities NRW and per-capita consumption
Figure 1.3: Supply-Demand balance in 2040 at UK* utilities
Figure 2.1: Current utility regulated investment plans
Table 2.1: Performance commitments as part of Price Review 2019
Figure 3.1: Cumulative smart meter investment at UK utilities (2016 – 2030)
Figure 3.2: Cumulative smart meter investment at UK utilities
Table 3.1: Cumulative smart meter investment at UK utilities
Figure 3.3: UK cumulative meter forecast
Table 3.2: Cumulative UK metering forecast data
Table 3.3: Cumulative UK smart water infrastructure forecast data
Table 4.1: Anglian metering forecast data
Figure 4.1: Anglian cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.2: Dwr Cymru metering forecast data
Figure 4.2: Dwr Cymru cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.3: Northumbrian metering forecast data
Figure 4.3: Northumbrian cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.4: Severn Trent metering forecast data
Figure 4.4: Severn Trent cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.5: Yorkshire metering forecast data
Figure 4.5: Yorkshire cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.6: South West metering forecast data
Figure 4.6: South West cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.7: Wessex metering forecast data
Figure 4.7: Wessex cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.8: Southern metering forecast data
Figure 4.8: Southern cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.9: United metering forecast data
Figure 4.9: United cumulative meter forecast
Table 4.10: Thames Water metering forecast data
Figure 4.10: Thames cumulative meter forecast
Table 5.1: Other smart water analytics vendors
Table 6.1: Performance commitments as part of Price Review 2019
Figure 6.1: Smart water value chain
Figure 6.2: Water supply chain
Figure 6.3: Five layers of smart water networks
Table 6.2: Benefits of different water metering technologies
