Yorkshire Water is trialling easy access water meters in Halifax as part of a joint initiative with Redrow Homes.

Water meter boxes located under footpaths are often damaged during construction work and to reduce the chance of damage Redrow and Yorkshire Water have been considering alternative locations for the equipment.

Under the pilot scheme water meters will be located on private land and affixed to the properties.

Among the options to facilitate the new meter location are ‘Groundbreaker’ wall mounted meter boxes. Redrow Yorkshire’s first wall mounted meter has been fitted in a trial project initiated by Yorkshire Water with a view to rolling it out as a standard later this year.

Locating the ‘Groundbreaker’ on any suitable elevation of properties eliminates expensive boundary boxes beneath the streets; and makes water meters easier and quicker to read for the home owner and the water company.

Phil Shaw, of Redrow Homes, who has assisted Yorkshire Water, said:

“The pilot has demonstrated that it is now technically possible and cost effective to locate a water meter on any aspect of a dwelling whether it be front, side or back. This flexibility will satisfy the aesthetic demands of all concerned.

“It removes the need for a footpath meter chamber or any other underground stop tap as the wall box has this included. It also takes away the cost and inconvenience of rectifying damage caused to underground meter chambers during construction work that, according to the results of a survey of housebuilders, affects 53% of all connections on all sites.”