Arqiva to deploy 1 million smart meters for United Utilities

Arqiva's network already supports over 2m smart meters for some of the UK's largest water companies

January 20, 2025 – Winchester, UK – Arqiva, a leading provider of smart utility networks, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a significant contract with United Utilities to roll out smart meter infrastructure across the North West of the UK. 

The project will begin with the deployment of 1 million meters as part of a phased rollout over the water industry’s next five-year Asset Management Period, known as AMP8.

Under the terms of the agreement, Arqiva will be accountable for network deployment and operations plus meter install and commissioning over the next five years, with an option to extend for a further five years.

To achieve this, Arqiva will collaborate with experienced industry partners including Sensus, Diehl, and Network Plus.  

We’re delighted to have been awarded this contract with United Utilities, which further enhances our footprint as a managed services provider to the utilities industry, 

Our decade of experience includes delivering over 2 million meters on the largest rollouts in multiple regions. This gives us a unique perspective on what it takes to deliver these programmes at scale and at a pace that gives our customers, and their customers, the outcomes they need.

The severity of water scarcity in the UK is something people are increasingly aware of and concerned about, and it can only be addressed with better understanding of water use – which comes from data delivered by successful metering programmes.

Mike Smith, Executive Director of Smart Utilities Networks, at Arqiva.

We’re really pleased to welcome Arqiva as our strategic smart metering partner. Their proven expertise as a UK critical national infrastructure provider means they’re ideally situated to partner us on our ambitious smart metering proposals.  

The data we receive from the meters will help drive down leakage both on our network and at customers’ properties as well as helping customers to save money by using less water.

Mike Gauterin, Customer Services and Technology Director at United Utilities

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