Physical Meters and Purely Mechanical Meters Aren't Dumb; It's Dumb to Mock or Dismiss Them as Antiquated
Yesterday and the day before that we learned how to access and check meter readings for water* (below the ground). Those get clocked by physical or purely mechanical systems and we were on the phone for about an hour, discussing various aspects of that while emphasising that digital or smart [sic] things would pose a threat. While there's always a risk of someone 'fat-fingering' a reading (with or without double-checking), at least with physical meters - assuming they work properly and are "dumb" - there's no risk of them being remotely accessed and cracked, for better or worse.
Published last year: "The credit rating agency Moody’s has warned that water companies face an “elevated” risk from cyber attackers targeting drinking water, as suppliers wait on permission from the industry regulator to ramp up spending on digital security."
I've learned a lot this week, both online and over the telephone. We'd like to keep our home free of "smart" things; so far it seems like tens of millions across the UK feel the same way. █
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* Cleaning up after the birds every morning takes a lot of water and there may be scarcity of water exacerbated by growing demand for garden hoses because 32 degrees in Manchester is apparently OK or perfectly normal weather these days.
