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The five stages of metering
The five stages of metering
The stages that follow outline the step by step journey, from early planning through to sustained operation. They draw on real project experience to highlight what works, what to watch for, and how to maintain confidence, both within your organisation and among your customers, as the programme unfolds.
This guide follows that journey through five interconnected stages, each building on the last to move from intent to sustained performance.
Building the Evidence - Establish the foundation through data gathering, network sampling, assessing systems and organisational readiness, and market exploration to define the opportunity and shape the business case.
Stage 1 is the discovery phase and lays the foundation for everything that follows. It’s about understanding the scale of the challenge, the opportunities for improvement [and innovation?], and the viability of metering as part of a wider water resource-management strategy.
Defining the Direction - Turn insights into strategy. Develop clear objectives, select technologies, secure political and financial support, and design tariff and communication frameworks.
Stage 2 moves from investigation to definition — setting the direction for how water metering will be delivered, governed, and communicated. This stage develops the strategic, technical, and policy foundations needed to move from concept to implementation. The key components of this stage are outlined below
Getting Ready to Deliver - Translate strategy into an executable plan. Procure suppliers, establish delivery teams, align internal systems, and ensure organisational readiness.
Stage 3 turns the strategy into a delivery machine — finalising procurement, awarding contracts, and mobilising the teams who will actually put meters in the ground.
Making it Real - Roll out the metering programme, manage installations, integrate systems for readings and billing, and maintain strong customer communication throughout.
Stage 4 is where the programme becomes real — thousands of small construction sites, tight logistics, and customer-facing work that must run smoothly and consistently.
Turning Data into Value - Move from rollout to operation. Use meter data to manage leakage, optimise performance, refine processes, and help customers use water efficiently and confidently.
Stage 5 is where metering stops being a project and becomes the way the network actually runs. Meters move from assets in the ground to live operational tools, real data drives billing and insight, and customer interactions become part of everyday service.
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