Horizon Water Infrastructure is part of the SMS Horizon Group, which has been installing, managing and funding smart meters in the energy sector for more-than 20 years. We have over six million assets on walls in energy already.

Southern Water is the first smart meter programme we are leading and funding in the water sector. We think other water companies would benefit from a technology-agnostic prime contractor in place and by using our funding model, which lowers the total cost of a smart meter programme by working over longer timescales.

We are not tied to any particular network provider, meter manufacturer, or installation partner, so as the market evolves and innovates, we can swap people out as appropriate, giving utilities supply chain flexibility. We will be winning multiple contracts and with our enhanced purchasing power, we can drive cost efficiencies through the smart meter programme and pass them on to the customer.

Traditionally water companies go through five, eight or a maximum of 10-year contract cycles driven by the AMP process. If you look at how some water companies have procured, they have driven procurement around the traditional purchasing cycle. What that means is that they generally ask asset providers – whether for the meter or network – to provide warranties aligned to their procurement cycles. That can mean the kit falls over at the end of that cycle and they’ve got to replace it.

Instead, we are spreading the total cost of the programme over 20 years, including the appropriate supply chain partners, meter warranties and network warranties. The smart meter networking solution we are operating also lasts for 20 years, so the total cost to a water company has the potential to be half of what it would be by taking the traditional route.

It's important to think about the longevity of the solution. Will the organisation you are contracting with be here in 10-, 15- or 20-years’ time? Will the network you are using maintain performance? Some networks are anticipated to become more congested. Will the performance you see in year one be maintained?

We think technology agnosticism is critical. If you are stuck with one meter manufacturer because you’ve signed an exclusive agreement with them, you won’t benefit from lower price points as the market evolves.

Ultimately, you could be missing out on benefits you could be realising for your stakeholders and customers alike.