Access issues in the non-household water sector: bringing industry together
Innov-8 hosts a roundtable with UK water wholesalers on access challenges in the non-household market, and what they mean for the AMP8 smart meter rollout.
On Friday 25 September 2026, we’re hosting a roundtable session with industry water wholesalers to tackle one of the sector’s most pressing topics: access issues in the non-household water market.
It’s not often you can bring together almost an entire industry to a single table. The fact that we’ve managed to do so speaks volumes about how significant this issue is, and how urgent the need for solutions has become.
Why this matters now
With AMP8 pledging to install massive volumes of smart meters over the next few years — and AMP9 beyond that — access to non-household sites has become critical. The numbers are sobering: over 50% of businesses are currently either non-engaging or refusing to have smart meters installed.
Beyond smart meter rollout, site access is essential for:
- Resolving long unread meters
- Leakage detection and resolution
- Non-payment cases (retailer services)
- General wholesaler and retailer access requests
- Delegation of authority and Rights of Entry warrant processes
The same challenges will mirror the household sector, where take-up and installation rates are equally critical to achieving ambitious AMP targets.
Bringing expert perspectives
We’re privileged to have three industry leaders facilitating discussions throughout the day:
- Simon Bennett — Water Oracle and consultant
- Jayne Gardner — Shakespeare Martineau, handling legal questions
- Neil Presland — Thames Water, Chair of the RWG Access Group
Who’s attending
We’re grateful to welcome wholesalers from across England and Wales: Thames Water, Anglian Water Services, Northumbrian Water Group, United Utilities, Severn Trent, Yorkshire Water, South Staffs Water, Southern Water, Portsmouth Water, South East Water, and Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water.
Special thanks to Shakespeare Martineau for hosting us and providing expert legal insight throughout the session.
Moving forward together
At Innov-8, we’re committed to Challenge – Innovate – Win. This roundtable embodies that philosophy: bringing stakeholders together to understand challenges, explore solutions, and drive meaningful progress across the water sector.
We’re very much looking forward to facilitating this discussion and helping the industry move forward, stronger together for a more resilient water sector.
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