Overview

With planning and training complete, this phase shifts customer interactions into business-as-usual. It activates the pathways for handling high-use alerts, disputed bills, leak notifications, hardship enquiries, and general metering questions, ensuring customers receive consistent, timely, and clear responses as volumetric charging comes online.

General metering questions

Most routine questions can be resolved through well-trained call centre staff who listen with empathy and provide clear, consistent explanations to help customers understand how the new metering and charging system works.

Leak and high-use alerts

When high-use patterns or potential leaks are identified through reading cycles, the provider [JF2] should notify the customer promptly. However, before engaging with the customer, the provider should verify the information and suspected leak, possibly with a site visit if required before the owner applies resources to find and fix any leak.

The communication must then explain what was found, what it means under volumetric charging, the customer’s responsibilities, and the practical steps to resolve the issue. Where appropriate, the provider can also offer guidance to help the customer work through the leak-tracking process.

Many situations are resolved quickly and simply through clear guidance and reassurance. This is especially effective where customers know that once a leak is fixed promptly, they may be eligible for a rebate on the water lost — reducing stress and encouraging timely action.

Volumetric Billing Transition

The shift to volumetric charging works best when customers have time to understand their water use before charges apply. A trial reading period, typically 6–12 months or several billing cycles, allows the provider to share usage data with customers without yet applying volumetric charges. This transitional phase serves several important purposes:

• • Customer Education: Helps customers understand their consumption patterns and how volumetric billing will affect them.

  • Leak Repairs: Gives households time to identify and fix leaks without financial penalty.

  • Behavioural Adjustment: Encourages early water-saving habits ahead of charging.

  • System Testing: Allows the provider to test meter accuracy, data transmission, and billing processes in real operating conditions.

  • Trust Building: Transparent data sharing builds confidence and reduces resistance to the new charging approach.

Trial reads may also include estimated water bills, giving customers a realistic sense of what their charges would be under volumetric billing. This helps put high-use or leakage issues into perspective and creates a clear, early conversation about cost impacts. These estimates should be accompanied by clear communication on how such situations will be treated once charging goes live with reference to relevant policies.  

Disputed readings and bills

When a customer disputes a reading or a bill, the first step is to understand their situation and their view of what has happened. High consumption can stem from legitimate use, a private-side leak, a tap or irrigation system left running, or an error in the meter, the reading, or the billing calculation.

Starting with the customer’s perspective can help to narrow the possibilities and sets the tone for a respectful, calm, and methodical resolution.

Working through the issue follows a simple logical sequence:

• • confirm that the disputed figure marks a change from past bills, particularly from the same period in previous years

  • ask whether anything has changed at the property (new occupants, garden watering, renovations, pools/spas, Water features, guests, livestock etc.)

  • ask the customer to check for signs of leaks or unexplained wet areas

  • confirm the meter details, serial number, and reading history

  • review recent AMI data or manual reads for unusual patterns

  • where appropriate, send a field technician to verify the meter, inspect for leaks, or confirm property connections

  • Meter accuracy testing is also an option, although the customer may be required to cover the cost if the meter is ultimately found to be functioning correctly.

The aim is to build a clear, evidence-based picture of what’s driving the consumption, help the customer work through the logic with you, and provide a pathway to resolution,  whether that means correcting an error, fixing a leak, or supporting the customer to understand and accept the outcome.

Hardship enquiries,

Hardship enquiries need to be handled with empathy, compassion, and a genuine willingness to understand the customer’s situation. True hardship can arise from many causes including mental or medical challenges, sudden changes in circumstance, social pressures, or long-standing disadvantage. The first step is to listen, understand the facts, and create a safe space for the customer to explain what they are dealing with.[JF8] [MC9] 

From there, the provider’s role is to explore the support options available. Many organisations have hardship schemes[GU10] [MC11]  designed to assist the most vulnerable in the community, and these can often be adapted to individual circumstances. This may include payment plans, temporary relief, leak-related rebates, or connections to wider support services.[JF12]  Such as Water Utilities Consumer Assistance Trust

Use overarching policies and principles as a guide, not a barrier. Work with the customer to understand how these supports might apply in their situation, and help them access what is available. The provider is best placed to navigate the system on the customer’s behalf,  and it can be incredibly rewarding to help remove a source of stress or worry from someone’s life and support them to move forward. 

During the transition period, providers should expect heightened concern from customers with high usage or previously undetected leaks. This requires proactive planning: additional field support for leak detection, trained call-centre staff, and clear scripts to guide customers through usage reports, leak resolution, and conservation advice.

A well-managed trial reading period smooths the introduction of volumetric billing, reduces customer anxiety, and helps the provider resolve technical and operational issues before charges go live.

 Hot Tip

 Unexpected private connections, mislabelled meters,misreads and data entry errors do happen; treat every dispute as a fact-finding exercise, not an argument, and let the evidence guide the fix.