South East Water to empower circa 900,000 customers with smart meters to track bills, usage and leaks

• Around 900,000 customers to benefit by 2035, with over 13,000 properties and non-household properties in Canterbury and Whitstable already upgraded in the first phase (completed by 31 March 2026).

• Smart meter technology will benefit customers by providing close to real-time data to help reduce water use and detect leaks early.

• Technology will accelerate customer-side leak detection and support target to halve leakage by 2050.

South East Water is rolling out smart meters across its water network, upgrading around 900,000 meters by 2035 in partnership with Connexin, a leading provider of smart technologies.

The roll-out began in January 2026, in parts of Kent, and will transform how customers understand and manage their water use and help identify leaks.

The smart technology will provide customers with close to real-time data, to measure how much water they use each day, give customers better control over their bills, whilst also helping the drinking water company detect leaks earlier.

Around 90% of South East Water’s 2.3 million domestic customers have a water meter fitted and research has shown that customers with a meter use on average 15 per cent less water than those without.

Rowena Hammond, Head of Customer Demand Management at South East Water, said: “Our aim is to deliver a resilient water future for our customers and deploying smart meters is a big part of that mission.

“We want to empower our customers by providing them with more timely information on how much water they are using and how much money they are spending. Smart meter technology also provides our team with the level of visibility required to identify customer-side leaks more quickly, leading to faster interventions and a reduction in water lost through leakage.”

By 2030 the drinking water company aims to have installed almost 300,000 smart meters. By the time the programme completes in 2035, South East Water will have replaced almost 900,000 meters across its supply area, which covers parts of Hampshire, Berkshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent.

South East Water has initially partnered with Clancy Group for meter installation and Connexin to provide the IoT (Internet of Things) communications network underpinning the programme. The majority of customers do not need to be present when the meters are installed as they are located outside the property itself. If the meter is located within a property, South East Water will contact the customer to book a convenient time to upgrade the meter.

Dan Preece, VP IoT Growth at Connexin, said: "Smart meters are only as smart as the network behind them. Connexin provides the communications network that ensures every data point from every meter reaches South East Water reliably, securely, and in close to real-time, enabling faster leak detection, better customer outcomes, and a water network built for the pressures ahead. This is exactly the kind of long-term, high-stakes programme our infrastructure is designed for."

Mike Hardiman, Operations Director at Clancy, said: “We’re proud to be supporting South East Water in delivering a programme that will bring long-term benefits to customers and communities across the region. Smart metering is an important step towards helping customers better understand their water use, while also supporting earlier leak detection and a more resilient water network.

“Through close collaboration with South East Water and programme partners, we’re focused on delivering the rollout safely, efficiently and with a positive experience for customers at every stage."

By 2030 South East England is projected to face severe water stress due to population growth and environmental pressures. The recent water supply issues across areas of Kent, due to high demand in the hot weather, illustrate the challenges faced and highlight the importance of saving water and fixing leaks quickly.

Smart metering is a central feature of the drinking water company’s Water Resources Management Plan(opens in a new tab) which sets out how South East Water will provide a reliable and resilient supply of drinking water during the next 50 years.

Smart metering plays a key role in South East Water’s target to halve leakage by 2050, enabling earlier intervention and reducing disruption for customers.

Further information about the smart metering roll out programme can be found at: southeastwater.co.uk/meter-upgrad(opens in a new tab)e