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What is Continuous Consumption?

Continuous consumption refers to a situation where a meter is recording continuous usage with a day, with no periods of zero flow or rest.

What is Continuous Consumption?

Continuous consumption occurs when a meter records a constant flow of water (or other utility) without stopping over a 24 hour period. This means that no zero or near-zero readings have been recorded, even overnight or during periods when usage is normally expected to drop.

How It’s Shown in the Portal

The measures or PoS360 view automatically highlights periods of continuous consumption and it is displayed in orange on your chart.

For example:

Alarm Trigger markers help you visually identify exactly when the issue began and ended, making it easier to investigate and resolve.

Why Does Continuous Consumption Matter?

Continuous consumption is only expected in certain cases—such as sites operating 24/7 or using water constantly for manufacturing or tank filling.

Outside of these scenarios, it often signals leakage or unnecessary wastage, which can lead to significant cost and resource loss.

Common causes include:

  • Underground leaks – Often hidden and the most common source. Note: it is the customer’s responsibility to maintain pipework beyond the meter.

  • Leaking pipes or fittings

  • Toilets or taps left running

  • Irrigation or equipment running out of hours

  • Faulty appliances drawing constant flow

Even small, sustained flows can result in substantial water loss over time.

What to Do if You Spot Continuous Consumption

  • Check the time of day: Is usage occurring out of hours?

  • Inspect on-site equipment: Look for leaks, taps, or machinery that may be running unnecessarily.

  • Consider operational changes: Has a process changed recently that may justify the flow?

If the flow is not operationally justified, we strongly recommend investigating immediately to prevent unnecessary water loss and charges.

How we can help

If you're concerned about continuous consumption on your site, our specialist leakage team is here to help.

Meter works on site with thousands of customers every year, helping them identify, resolve, and recover costs from leakage and wastage.

Our end-to-end leakage service covers everything from initial detection through to repair and allowance support:

  1. Identify — Potential issues flagged directly via our Meter Portal

  2. Survey — A site visit from our expert team to pinpoint exact points of loss

  3. Report — A clear report of findings with practical recommendations

  4. Fix — An on-site repair service to resolve confirmed leaks

  5. Allowance support — Assistance claiming a leakage allowance from your water retailer

To find out more or to speak to our team, contact us at support@meter.co.uk.

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