In Germany, by law, water is paid for on a cost plus basis

Research and Markets have announced the addition of the 'Water Utility Meters Report 2003 to their offering.

(PRWEB) February 14, 2004 --This is the third report in the Meter Report series and its coverage and data content has been expanded. The report covers every country in the world. Although the industrial markets of Europe and North America remain the prime consumers of meters, the report demonstrates important developments in areas outside these regions, both in demand and production.

Water metering has received an impetus in the last few years from the environmental legislation enacted in the EU and the USA. This has necessitated the expenditure of a huge amount of capital, which is beyond the resources of government. Many studies have demonstrated that water must be paid for on a cost plus basis. Free provision and subsidies erode the ability to invest and services deteriorate. In the developing world, the poorest sectors of the community are paying up to twenty times as much for water bought from vendors, as the affluent middle classes who live in areas with piped supply. This has long been recognised in some industrialised countries such as Germany, where by law, water is paid for on a cost plus basis, with volumetric measurement. In other countries, such as the UK, the USA and Canada water has not been metered but charged for in local taxes. In communist countries it was free. This is changing and residential water metering is being introduced in pockets all over the world.

For some years there has been excess manufacturing capacity in the meter industry and this is now being evened out with consolidations and mergers among the leading producers of water meters. In 2002 there have been several important mergers and acquisitions. The global meter trade is realigning
as the traditional manufacturers shift their manufacturing bases and as new producers emerge. The ABS Water Meter Report Ed 3 2003 contains analysis of production, imports, exports and consumption for every country in $ value for the year 2002. Demand is also given in units, analysed by two groups, mains and industrial high and residential low pressure meters.

The report provides databases of demand with CAGR in every country in the world, in units and value, forecast from 2002 to 2007 annually. Meters are produced in about 35 countries and used in most countries. Global trade is analysed by units and volume and average prices calculated. Trade is provided for the three year period from 1999- 2001, averaged to even out peaks and troughs in demand, especially in small countries. Charting international trade is a complex process, full of pitfalls. Differences of definition, time periods, and onward sales to third countries, reporting inconsistencies between exporting and importing countries complicate what should be a simple procedure. ABS has been maintaining records of this trade for many years and has built a solid basis of experience in using this data.

For the first time, we have included information on product specifications for the major meter manufacturers. The report concludes with a directory of 520 meter manufacturers classified by sector, electricity, gas and water, plus 200 unclassified.

Countries profiled in this report include:

Austria
Belgium
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
Netherlands
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
UK
Slovenia
Poland
Russia
South Africa
Turkey
China
India
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Thailand
Malaysia
Indonesia
Argentina
Brazil
Mexico
Canada
USA

Database not included for the price above.

For a complete index of this report click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/45533

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