Flow restrictors - Thames boss sets the record straight
There's been a lot of media coverage this week about flow restrictors, also known as 'trickle flow meters', and unhelpful headlines like 'Non-payers to be cut off' may have led some people to worry.
Here David Owens, Thames Water's Chief Executive, sets straight the record:
David Owens, Chief Executive, Thames Water
"First things first: no-one is going to get cut off. We don't want to cut anyone off, and we're not allowed to anyway.
A law change would be required before water firms could use flow restrictors, so they're not going to be in action any time soon - if at all.
Even if they were used, there would be no health implications. These devices would simply reduce flow, not cut it completely.
The key issue here is that, unlike gas and electricity suppliers, water firms are banned by law from cutting people off - even if they don't pay their bills.
Bad debt adds £11-a-year to honest customers' bills
We've currently got £45m of 'bad debt' - in other words, outstanding bills. That adds £11-a-year to the bills of honest customers who do pay. And that can't be right.
That's why we've asked a group of MPs who are drafting some new legislation to make chasing down non-payers easier for water firms - so it's fairer for the rest of us.
One of the things we've asked them to consider is restrictors, which are used in some parts of Australia to lessen the flow of water to non-payers in order to inconvenience them into paying.
We don't even want to use flow restrictors - and right now we're unsure how we would use them anyway - but we do think they need looking at as a last resort for customers who are perfectly able to pay but refuse to do so. But we'll leave the final call on this to the MPs whose job it is to decide.
Help for those who can't pay
And finally, let's be absolutely clear: we're after the 'won't pays' - not the 'can't pays'. If you genuinely can't pay your bill, we can discuss a range of ways to help you, including financial assistance through our Charitable Trust, a £5m fund set up to help customers in need."
David Owens
Chief Executive
