If it is electronic data about my use, then it can be sold (since profiting off my utility use is not enough), hacked, and used against me to rob me or for personalized time of use pricing similar to the potential of Kroger and its smart shelves.
Have you heard of crime tourism? Double digit numbers of homes have been robbed within a walking/cycling distance of mine. The locations were chosen based on particular criteria, some of which included knowing when the occupants would be gone for enough time to allow the tourists to have time to rob the place and just hang out for a hour or two going through the people’s stuff. So what if a power and water company knows when I am home right?