1. Thisdocumentexplainsthe difference betweencyclic,ad-hocandskip readings.The firsttwoare
termsusedby bothMouchel and AffinityWater,whilethe term‘skip’isonlyusedbyMouchel.Itend
to not have as muchinvolvementwiththe processof obtainingskipreadingscomparedwiththe two
otherprocesses.Eachof the three categoriesof readingshave ateamof fieldoperativeswho
concentrate onprovidingthat category of reading,andit israre that operativesswitchbetween
teams.
Cyclic readings:Each meterisvisitedbyMouchel once percycle,withthe timingdependingonthe
bookin whichthe meterhasbeenallocated.There are 24 bookspercycle,witheachbook taking
arounda weektocomplete andcontaininganequal spreadof propertiesacrossthe areasAffinity
serve (propertieswithapostcode beginningwith AL,CB,CM, EN, GU, HA,HP, KT, LU, N, NW,RG, SG,
SL, TW, UB, WD). Thismeansthat each meterreceivesacyclicvisittwice peryear.
Ad-hocreadings: Affinityoftenrequire Mouchel toprovide readingsonmetersata time otherthan
whentheyare due to be read,andthese are calledad-hocsreadings.The requirementisusuallyfor
one of the followingreasons:
• A propertyhas changedownership,andAffinityrequire anopeningreadingforthe new owner’s
occupationof the property.ThisallowsAffinitytodetermine the waterconsumptionof the previous
ownerandof the newowner.
• A leakhad previouslybeenreportedata property,andAffinitywishtosee whetherthe visitof an
engineerhasresultedinthe metershowingthatthe average waterconsumptionhasreturnedtothe
level itwaspriorto the leak.
• The mostrecentreadingisconsiderablyoutof line withthe readinghistoryorislowerthanthe
readingpriorto that,and is accompaniedeither:
withoutaphotoclearlyshowingboththe correctreadingandserial numberof the meter
..................read.Thissuggestseitherthe readinghasbeenincorrectlyinputtedorthe wrongmeter
..................hasbeenread.
or
witha photosuggestingthe readinghasbeencorrectlyinputtedandrightmeterread.
..................Thissuggeststhatthere isleakatthe propertyor the meterisfunctioningincorrectly,in
..................whichcase anotherreadingcouldhelpdetermine whetherthere are anyproblems.
• A newmeterhasbeeninstalled,andAffinityneedtofindoutthe openingreadingof thismeter.
• The mostrecentattemptto the readthe meterresultedinaskip(see the entrybelow regarding
skipreadings).
WhenAffinityaskforanad-hocsreadingto be provided,theyraise aneventonHiAffinity.Whenthe
readingissentthroughto Temetra,Igo to the eventonHiAffinity,inputthe date,readingorskip

2. code*,whetherthe meterisstill ormoving,anycommentsfromthe fieldoperativeandthe
operative’sname,andIclicka box sayingthe eventhasbeencleared.Forexample,Imaytype in
11/01/16 184 STIL (“the meterisfogged”) JOHN S.I do notneedto dothis forcyclicreadings.
Skip readings:It isnot alwayspossible forareadingtobe obtainedona meter.Whenthishappens,
the meterissaid tohave beenskipped.Mouchel oftenmake asecondattempttoobtainreadingson
meterswhichwere skippedduringcyclicvisits,andwhenthese attemptsresultinareadingfinally
beingobtained,itiscalleda‘skipreading’.If asecondattempttoobtaina cyclic readingorany
attemptto obtainan ad-hocreadingresultsinaskip,an ad-hocisoftenraised(orre-raised).
The reasonsfor metersbeingskippedinclude:
• The fieldoperative beingunabletolocate/accessthe property.
• The fieldoperative beingunabletolocate/accessthe meter.
• The meterbeingtoofoggyto allowfora readingtobe obtained.
• The serial numberhavingfadedfromthe meter,causingthe fieldoperativetobe unsure whichof
the metersinthe pit needstobe read.
• The meterisin a hazardouslocation.
* eachof the possible reasonsforameterbeingskippedhave adesignatedskipcode.Examplesof
skipcodesinclude ‘CLMR’fora meterwhichcannotbe located,‘CPRP’forpropertywhichcannotbe
locatedand‘TCOV’for a meterwhichistemporallycoveredbyeitheramotorvehicle orbuilding
material.