Experiences at the Smart Water Metering & Data Utilization / Water Customer Experience Congress 2026

One theme kept coming up throughout this year’s Smart Metering Conference: the water sector has become very good at talking about meters, data and technology, but the real opportunity lies in changing behaviour.

What struck me most was how often speakers came back to the same point; smart metering isn’t really a meter programme. It’s a customer programme.

The technology itself is becoming increasingly proven. Research presented at the conference showed that digital meters can reduce consumption by around 8%, with savings rising significantly when combined with services such as leak detection and consumption-based billing.

But the data alone doesn’t create those savings.

People do.

• Customers only act when they understand the information they’re receiving, trust it and, importantly, can see what’s in it for them. Whether it’s preventing a leak, avoiding a high bill or simply feeling more in control of their water use, the focus needs to be on outcomes rather than technology.
• Another interesting area is around trust. For all the investment being made in digital channels and customer communications, one of the most influential moments in the entire smart meter journey is still the installation visit and the role engineers play in explaining the technology, answering questions and helping customers understand the benefits.
• It was also refreshing to hear acknowledgement that utilities need to change too. Smart metering is often discussed as a way of changing customer behaviour, but many organisations are still trying to fit this new world of real-time data into processes originally designed for annual meter readings and reactive customer service. The challenge isn’t just generating more insight; it’s being ready to act on it.

Perhaps my biggest takeaway was that the industry is starting to move beyond viewing smart metering as an operational efficiency initiative. Increasingly, it’s being positioned as a resilience tool, helping utilities reduce demand, identify leaks faster, engage customers more effectively and respond to periods of water stress with much greater precision.

For me, the conference reinforced a simple but important point: Success shouldn’t be measured by how many meters have been installed but instead by what happens afterwards.

At RED C, we’ve supported utilities across the water and energy sector for many years, helping organisations understand meaningful, lasting behaviour change and engagement. We have worked with utilities to help them navigate this space and drive smart meter adoption.

If you’d like to explore how customer insight can maximise the value of your smart metering rollout, or how to create meaningful behaviour change, we’d love to hear from you – get in touch: [email protected]