Telling us more about being a Smart Saver
Thank you to all of you who have taken part in our research so far in workshops, interviews and surveys. All your views are helping us understand the impact the new tariff is having and will eventually allow us to find the fairest way to charge our customers. You are making history, as this is a first for the water industry, and we really value all the time and effort you put in.
New opportunities to give us feedback on the trial will be sent to you automatically, so please make sure all your contact details are correct. You can do that online or by calling us on 01392 443646.
If you no longer want to take part in our research, please get in touch and we’ll remove you from the mailing list.
News and views
We’re delighted to announce the winners who completed the survey we sent out last month and won a £100 shopping voucher. The participation was invaluable because it gave us a wide range of views and experiences. We were pleased to find that the vast majority were positive.
This research also set a useful base-line of information that we can compare future surveys and customer feedback to, which will allow us to see the short and long-term impact this tariff has in a meaningful way.
Don’t forget that we’ll email and text you any opportunities to take part in our research and feedback. Make sure you’re included next time, by checking your contact details are all up-to-date.
Here are what our winners think of the trial:
Mr F said:
The Trial is an important part of contributing towards end-to-end responsibility. The trial is raising my awareness of our household’s water consumption and nudging our behaviours to be more thoughtful in our use of water.
Mr K said:
We look forward to seeing our monthly statements to see what we have used. We have three water butts, but with the dry weather we soon use this.
It makes you sit up and think how little things make a difference. Our grandchildren understand saving water too, learning from the small changes we have made in our home.
Ms W said:
I think South West Water have been really innovative and have kept me up to date at every stage within the Smart Saver scheme. I’m happy to be part of it.
A bonus tip from Mr K for any keen gardeners like him!
Use an old kitchen sponge with the green scouring pads removed, cut these to the size of your plant pots and place them in the bottom and then fill with soil. The sponges will hold water and slowly release it reducing the need to water plants.
Welcome to our Smart Saver tariff
A select number of customers were chosen to trial our Smart Saver tariff for the next 2 years. They come from all walks of life, but they’ve all got one important thing in common – a smart water meter. We know that people who are careful with their water have the best chance to save money.
A new way of saving
We want it to feel rewarding to use less water, so that's why we’ve designed a new way of charging that’s:
Fair for our customers, so that those who save water, save money.
Kind to the environment, because by saving water we can future-proof our precious water resources.
Affordable for you, as we estimate 9/10 customers will save on their bills.
How this trial works
You were automatically switched over to the new tariff on 1 April.
We expect the trial to last 2 years. The more people who remain on this trial, the more accurate our findings will be, meaning we’ll be able to bring a fairer way of charging to more people in the South West.
Level 1: Essential use
For the first 46,000 litres of water.
This is cheaper than the standard rate. This recognises that water is essential for life and will contribute towards drinking water, cooking, washing and laundry.
Level 2: Standard use
From 46,000 until 135,000 litres.
This will be the same as the standard rate and goes toward extra loads of laundry, an unexpected second shower, extra washing up, and occasional car wash.
Level 3: Additional use
Over 135,000 litres.
This is designed to encourage smarter use of water, will help achieve sustainability goals and make charging fairer.
How the trial could work for you
How fast you progress through the different blocks depends on your household's use of water.
Meet some of our example customers who can give you a better idea of how you might experience this tariff. These are for illustrative purposes only.
Meet Sam
Successful businesswoman, Sam, is a single mum of three. She’s never really taken any notice of her water bill – her direct debit goes out each month, and there’s never any trouble.
Last year, her family used a whopping 767 litres of water a day. When she got switched over to the Smart Saver, she was shocked to learn that her new bill would be £1,231.98 compared to £579.99 on the standard charge.
By simply changing their water habits, she brought her family’s consumption down to 452 litres per day (back to the average for a family of four). This meant, in the end, her Smart Saver bill came to £344.24 (£235.75 cheaper than the standard charge!).
Meet Terry and Andy
Avid gardeners, Terry and Andrew, do all they can in their garden to help the environment. Drought resistant plants, water butts and other rainwater harvesting methods, and wildlife friendly areas too.
By using rainwater to water the garden, they keep their average water consumption to 276 litres per day (bang on average for a two-person household). On the Smart Saver tariff, they save £16.91 compared to the standard charges.
Meet Rebecca
Rebecca is retired and worries about how far she can stretch her pension. To help keep her bills low, she is very careful with her energy and water use. She only uses an average of 123 litres per day. On the Smart Saver tariff, that means she remains in Level 1 – Essential use. So, she saves £18.84 on her new tariff!
Helping you think about your water
Household water use varies depending on the number of people in a house and their personal needs. The Government has set targets for water companies to decrease the average consumption to 126 litres per person per day by 2030.
Here's water that could look like:
For further information
South West Water launches innovative new trial to make customer bills fairer
Water is Precious
Want to start saving water but don’t know where to begin? Check out some hints and tips on simple things you can do that will help you start saving litres and money without changing anything else.
