If you reside in a standalone house, there will be a water meter somewhere on the property, usually out in the front yard, that measures the water usage of the property and you are billed accordingly. This is a standard residential water meter but there is also another type of water meter known as a submeter. This article is going to focus on the submeter, what it is and why a submeter may need replacing, so read on to learn more about the role of submeters.
What Exactly Is a Water Submeter?
You will find water submeters in many apartment buildings or any type of multi-unit development. Submeters are connected to the building’s main water meter. The idea of submeters is to be able to bill individual apartment owners or renters for their specific water usage, rather than taking one meter reading from the main meter and equally dividing it up between the residents. Submeters provide a much fairer way of water billing. Without submetering, a frugal water user might be billed higher due to others in the building consuming excessive amounts of water. This is obviously unfair and a submetering system counteracts this.
In other instances, having your water billed on a submeter can actually save you money as compared to what might be billed to a stand-alone home. In select areas, apartment buildings may receive the town water supply at a reduced rate and with fair metering and billing, this reduced rate is passed on to the residents.
Generally, the management or a body corporate of the apartment building will receive one bill based on the reading of the main water meter. Management then takes individual readings of the submeters and bills residents according to their individual usage. In some locations, the water service provider may individually read submeters, but usually, there is one bill sent to the management of the apartment complex.
Why Would a Water Submeter Need Replacing?
There can be a number of scenarios where a water submeter needs replacing. The first and most obvious one is where the submeter has stopped functioning. If the meter is old and is prone to constant water leaks, then that submeter will also need replacing.
Another important situation where a submeter should be replaced is if it is deemed to be inaccurate, resulting in erroneous billing. A weights and measures professional can test a submeter for accuracy. If the water meter is deemed to be inaccurate, a plumber or the water service provider will then replace the submeter with a new and accurate model.
In other instances, submeters may be damaged due to construction or maintenance taking place within the building. Damaged meters will need to either be repaired or replaced.
In Conclusion
A water submeter is basically an extension of the main water meter found in apartment buildings and other multi-residence building complexes and provides a fairer way of billing residents for their water usage.
For all your residential and commercial plumbing needs, get in touch with Refined Plumbing on the Sunshine Coast.
Take a look at our time-lapse video on a Water Submeter being replaced.
