What I don't understand is why this is a news story at all in 2006. My water
company, Thames Water, installed a water meter at my house about 8 years
ago. I had no choice in this, which in my view means that compulsory water
metering is not exactly new.

Strangely enough, on the very same day I got the letter from them telling me
I had to have my water metered whether I liked it or not, their Chief
Executive was interviewed on BBC Radio 4 about water metering and gave a
categorical assurance that no-one would have to have water metering if they
didn't want it. I phoned the Chief Executive's office to ask about this
apparent inconsistency, and was told that "I was using a very restrictive
definition of the word 'no-one'".

Perhaps this is the first time the policy has been tested in court, but it's
certainly not the first time water metering has been compulsory.

Adam

PS Apologies if this post appears twice. I think my first attempt to post it
vanished into the aether, but I guess it may have just been delayed.