Britain considers mandatory water meters
LONDON, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- The British government is considering mandatory water meters to encourage conservation in parts of the country hit by drought.
Metering could mean significantly higher bills for families that use a lot of water, the Times of London reported.
Environment Minister Elliot Morley said that metering is definitely an option as the government looks at ways to save water.
About 28 percent of homes in the country now have water meters, and the government hopes to make them universal in the next 20 years.
Southern England is the area where a summer water shortage is likely. Kent and Sussex, which already have bans on the use of lawn sprinklers, have received 11 inches of rain since October, significantly lower than the average of 15 inches.
