ALERT: ‘Smart’ Water Meters to be installed in UK homes

[SSM UK Comment]  There are very serious concerns raised by the desire to place ‘Smart’ Water Meters into our water supply.  Not only do they measure and communicate water usage through harmful electromagnetic radiation, they also introduce a remotely-disconnectable, internet-enabled, wirelessly-accessible component into our water supply.  It is a profoundly stupid plan.

But there’s more.

A quick look through our archives will find this report by Dr. Andrew Goldsworthy, which specifically discusses the fact that electromagnetically conditioned water increases the toxicity of poisons in the human body.  Dr. Goldsworthy is an Honorary Lecturer of Biology at Imperial College, London.

“Many of the reported biological effects of non-ionising electromagnetic fields occur at levels too low to cause significant heating; i.e. they are non thermal. Most of them can be accounted for by electrical effects on living cells and their membranes. The alternating fields generate alternating electric currents that flow through cells and tissues and remove structurally-important calcium ions from cell membranes, which then makes them leak.”

Electromagnetically treated water (as generated by electronic water conditioners used to remove lime scale from plumbing) has similar effects, implying that the effects of the fields can also be carried in the bloodstream.  Virtually all of the non-thermal effects of electromagnetic radiation can be accounted for by the leakage of cell membranes.”

“Our experiments also showed that the conditioning process increased the toxicity of copper and cobalt ions, which suggested that it may have been increasing the inward leakage of these poisons. It may also increase the toxicity of other poisons found naturally in the environment and this effect could also apply to humans.”

A major problem that this research helps put into perspective is that many, many people have toxins in their bodies.  As a society, we breathe in polluted, toxic air particles (car exhaust fumes/cigarettes/you name it) and consume processed or artificial food additives containing toxins every day.  So the affect of these toxins in our system could be set to become much more pronounced and adverse.  Forgetting the potential personal health implications for those affected for just a moment, what could the impact of this be on our overburdened National Health Service?

In addition, as the Telegraph article below points out, ‘Smart’ Water Meters will provide water companies with the means to snoop on people to ensure they are not breaching the hosepipe ban currently in place across much of the UK.

There is huge irony in this – not least because of the fact that Thames Water have sold off two dozen reservoirs in the past two decades.

As the Independent reports here, every day more than 3.3 billion litres of treated water – 20 per cent of the nation’s supply and 234 million litres a day more than a decade ago – is lost through leaking pipes in England and Wales.  The water lost would meet the daily needs of 21.5 million people – that’s equal to more than one third of the UK population.  The article goes on to state:

Industry experts claim the problem lies with Ofwat, which dictates how much the companies can spend fixing leaks.  Ofwat’s leakage targets for the next five years will reduce the rate only marginally.  Some companies say they want to bring leaks down by more than Ofwat’s targets but they are not allowed to spend more than the regulator decrees on leaks.  Thames, Britain’s biggest water company and one of the worst offenders, is in this category.”

So there you have it.  There are 3.3 billion litres of water being lost EVERY DAY because of industry shortcomings and their solution is to give YOU another harmful, expensive, invasive Smart Meter.

What is wrong with this picture?  Is the water industry tapped in the head?  [/]

‘Smart’ water meters to be installed in UK homes

via http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/9219349/Smart-water-meters-to-be-installed-in-UK-homes.html

Millions of homes could have smart water meters, devices that tell water companies immediately if households are breaking the hosepipe ban, as part of plans to combat drought conditions.

A number of firms are looking at the technology including the country’s biggest water company, Thames Water, as part of plans to install meters in most homes by 2015.

The meters transfer readings every hour from water pipes outside the home via a mobile phone transmitter to the internet or a gadget in the kitchen so both the customer and the water company can keep an eye on water use.

The new technology is already widely used in the US to help customers spot leaks and cut wasteful water use.

It could also be used to identify households that are breaking any restrictions by immediately showing where a huge amount of water is being used to water a lawn or fill the paddling pool during a hosepipe ban.

At the moment seven water companies in the south and east have hosepipe bans in place due to the ongoing drought that is expected to last until Christmas, despite the recent rain.

All are bringing in water meters, many under a compulsory programme.

Thames Water, that has put in place restrictions, is trialling smart water meters in Reading and London.

The water company is hoping to install the digital meters as part of a programme to install 85,000 meters in their area by 2015.

The Environment Agency want most households in the South East to have water meters by 2015 and all homes in Britain by 2030.

Ofwat, the water regulator, has recently had talks with the Government and water companies about rolling out smart water meters alongside the plan to have smart electricity meters in all homes by 2020.

“The water sector in England and Wales is actively considering the potential for smart metering,” said a spokesman. “We are especially interested in the opportunity for water to share communications infrastructure with the energy sector.”

Water meters cost up to £250 to install, which is paid for by the customer through water bills. It costs around £10 per year to check the meters, though this cost will be reduced by smart water meters as there will be no need for “men in white vans” when the information is instantly relayed.

Although water meters will reduce bills in most households by identifying leaks and helping people to cut waste, some households, such as large families, will see a rise in bills – although the Government has insisted grants will protect poorer families.

Severn Trent, that is considering smart water meters, said the system could help bring in “seasonal tariffs which may help in demand management”.

This would mean that customers are charged more during water shortages to encourage them to save water.

Thames Water insist the smart water meters will not be used to “snoop” on anyone breaking the hosepipe ban but could help identify high consumption so the household can cut their own bill.

7 Comments
  1. I will not have this put into my property. This country is being taken to the cleaners by an evil force and the government do nothig about it.

    I am disgusted at this being proposed in the first place, what happened to freedom of choice.

  2. Hello, despite i have received a long email re smart meter risks few months ago, this morning i have been installed a smart water meter. When proposed to have a personal meter reader, I was said it should lower my consumption to at least £10 a month, as we are a couple with a child. I was then interested and when I was given the appointment I asked whether the meter would be a smart one but the person told me she din’t know. this morning, when I asked the man, he directly said it was a smart one but seemed to totally ignore any problem about smart meters. While he was installing it in 15min time, I re read the informations I had received, that were not very fresh to my mind and after he had finished, I read a part to him. He made me sign a paper allowing then to come back but at least -despite his invitation to do it on the back of the sheet, I added: “provided that don’t change my mind re the confirmation of smart meter risks”. The man told me that the radiations were supposedly less than in a TV remote. After his departure, carrying on my reading – that I admit I should have done before his arrival- I called The Southern Water, saying that i wanted a mecchanical reader meter instead of the smart one. After my exchange with someone who proposed to send me the safety measurement of the producer, I was then told that there was only smart readers, that it would probably cost me something -that he was not totally sure- but mainly that this will be imposed next year as part of the fight against the shortage of water in the South. I am going to write for a formal removal of my reader meter but can well informed people support me in that action, that I wish to have a wider impact.

  3. The Smart Metering of Water could be the final nail in the coffin.Water is more essential than anything.Giving government or Corporations the right to monitor every drop you use makes us all nothing but slaves and them the masters.They are allowing Hydrolic Fracking in most districts in North America, which pollutes the ground water permanently.Some areas Washington State even have laws preventing the collection of rain water.Water will be the tool in the future to control everyone and everything.A dangerous precedent is being set.
    A Liter of Bottled water here is sold for 80p to a pound thirty.Is this the future.

  4. As I understand it, the market offers two types of smart meters. A relatively safe one that transmits its data over land lines. And the other type of smart meter that emits pulsed microwave radiation which governments in the West are imposing on their citizens. The question is WHY when we all know the harm radiation technology does to us?

    If you have already had a smart meter installed, please keep up the fight to have it removed. The only way we can have these meters scrapped is by letting our voices be heard. These autocrats will only sit up and take note if we force them to. Let’s force them to turn the tide and use the safe smart meter instead.

  5. Smart Meters are causing catastrophic problems to families in the rest of the world ie Europe and the States. They register wrongly and produce astronomical faulty bills . This evidence can be fiund over the interent. Thousands of people complaining! Why is the GOVERNMENT then oblivious or ignoring these facts???? How stupid or irresponsible can a Government be to lead the country into another disaster. Arent we suffering enough as it is?

  6. Today, 17-09-2014, I discovered we have a Smart Meter that monitors our water usage in our kitchen. I was totally unaware of this until a man from Severn Trent came around to replace the battery, which he kindly informed me will last about 15 years!
    We live in a Housing Agency house so have no real choice in what is or in this case was fitted in the house before we moved in. I would like to know what I can do to change this, to have them remove the damn meter as soon as possible.