A water company is planning to save millions of litres a year by doubling the number of water meters in homes.
Over the next five years, Southern Water plans to install more than 60,000 water meters in customers' homes.
By 2010, it hopes to save more than three million litres of water a day - enough to supply more than 18,000 people.
Just over 20 per cent of homes in Sussex currently have a meter but this should increase to 44 per cent by 2010. All new houses built since 1989 automatically have a meter fitted.
People use 50 per cent more water today than they did 25 years ago, with the average person using 160 litres per day.
Meyrick Gough, Southern Water's water planning and strategy manager, said: "Meters reduce the demand for water by approximately ten per cent because, like with gas and electricity, people pay for what they use and become more aware of how to conserve water and not waste it.
"It is a practical way to help conserve water without putting extra pressure on the environment, while also giving people an opportunity to save money on their bill."
Monday, September 19, 2005
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