Thames Water is planning to fit smart water meters in Merton from October 2015, without offering a choice to its customers first.

A visit to their website to find out about having a water meter fitted, had me discover that my address is included in their target area for smart water meters.

When I asked if I could have a choice between a regular or smart meter before October, Thames Water just replied saying it would be a smart meter.

Smart metering will involve Thames Water installing transmitters to allow these meters to be read remotely. This will mean more wi-fi and in turn radiation in our neighbourhoods affecting our health. What is so frightening, is how the public is losing control as more and more wi-fi is flooding the environment, our homes and our bodies, without our consent. Each smart meter will act as a 24/7 ‘microwave transmitter’ with a very strong signal, particularly as they are underground. If Thames Water succeeds with its plan to have every road lined with these smart meters on both sides, the cumulative effect, along with numerous other wi-fi signals that people are subject to, could be very harmful to our health.

Smart meters are not mandatory so I have written to Thames Water to say that I do not give consent to a smart meter being installed at my property, and await a response. Residents who already have a regular water meter have the right to continue using it, rather than having it replaced with a smart meter.

Jovita Kaunang

Merton Park