St Helier, Jersey --- (METERING.COM) --- March 8, 2010 - As part of a package of measures to meet future demands on its water resources, Jersey Water is to install island-wide metering over the next five years.

Since 2009 the company has had a policy of installing a meter on every property where there has been a change of occupancy, or where a customer specifically requests one. At the present time 35 percent of all connections are metered. While this policy is set to continue, starting in late Spring Jersey Water also will start metering the approximately 17,500 unmetered connections.

This is expected to lead to reduced demand for water of 10 to 20 percent per household, and an overall potential reduction of 4 percent of average daily demand.

Other elements in Jersey Water’s water resource management plan include extending the existing leak detection program with the use of the latest leak detection technology, with the aim is to reduce leakage by 25 percent, and providing water saving advice and guidance as well an education program to help customers reduce water wastage. Water efficiency audits will also be offered for commercial customers.

Jersey faces future water shortages, with a widening gap between the demand for water and water available for use. The Water Resource Management Plan, which is aimed at safeguarding future water resources, is the result of two years’ work by the company in conjunction with independent water and environmental experts Montgomery Watson Harza Limited, and in consultation with the states’ Planning and Environment Water Resources section.

The Plan, which predicts that if nothing is done over the next 25 years, the resulting shortfall would be just over a quarter of the island’s predicted daily demand, equating to 6.5 million litres per day in 2035, also includes a range of measures to increase the supply of water available for use from existing and additional water resources.

“By introducing island-wide metering we are introducing the ability for our customers to control their water bills by managing the amount of water they use, eliminating waste and becoming more water efficient,” said Jersey Water’s managing director Howard Snowden. “Small changes in the way water is used and small steps taken by our customers to reduce waste will all add up to help us counter the effects which global warming, increased population and changing lifestyles are having on the water resources available.”

Jersey Water will launch its Water Efficiency Program providing customers with advice and guidance on how best to manage their water consumption coinciding with the installation of the first meters.