Installing Water Meters in Your Home Society

Installing a Water Meter in your home is not just a matter of conserving your water usage. Many local administrations are making it mandatory to have water meters installed in residential apartments. Here’s all that you need to know about water sub-meter installation for your house.

What is a Water Meter?

A water meter is a device that can measure the volume of water that is flowing through it.  The technology that goes behind water meters may differ, but an ideal water meter should deliver accurate measurements at all times.

What makes for a Good Water Meter

A good water meter should be able to take measurements without being affected by the change in pressures in the water supply. It should record even the smallest of changes in water usage.

Here’s a quick glance at a few different types of water meters that are available in the market.

6 Types of Residential Water Meters You Must Know About

1. Positive Displacement Water Meters

This is the most common kind of water meter that you will come across in residential and commercial properties. The mechanical pistons in the meter are moved by flowing water. The pistons move a meter on which the reading is displayed in a standardised unit.

2. Turbine Flow Meters

This method is very common in commercial distribution systems. There are turbine blades inside the chamber of the water meter. The turbine is rotated as water flows through it. The rotating turbine generates a voltage pulse which is used to measure the water flow.

3. Multi-Flow Jet Meter

The Multi flow jet meters are the smallest of meters. Because of their small size, they can be easily fitted into the tightest of spaces. This is why you will find this kind of meter in many residential and small commercial units. There are multiple ports inside the internal chamber of the meter. These jets of water rotate an impeller, which rotates depending on the speed of the water flow.

This water meter has many moving parts, and so is prone to failure in the long run. They also record airflow and the reverse flow of water.

4. Electromagnetic Flowmeters

More common in commercial and industrial buildings, this meter makes use of an electromagnetic coil. When water flows in the meter, a magnetic field is generated and this voltage is captured and measured, to give a reading in a standardised metering unit.

5. Ultrasonic Water Meters

If you are looking for a water meter fitting with high accuracy, low maintenance and ease of installation, you should probably choose an Ultrasonic Water Meter. These water meters use the doppler effect to measure the volume of water, However, the one disadvantage of these meters is that they perform badly in the case of water flows with high amounts of pollutants and sludge.

6. Smart Water Meter Installation

More technologically advanced meters that feature the Internet of Things and cutting-edge electronic sensors are also available in the market. These devices can send information on the quantity and quality of water that is being used directly to an accompanying app on your phone. 

You can also use it to produce time-based reports of water usage. Technological developments allow water monitoring and bill payment systems to be integrated into Society management systems giving you an integrated user experience.

Why You Need Water Meters

Many societies in Urban India have water meters which record total water consumption in the entire society or flat but don’t have water sub-meters that record water usage per apartment. Instead, charge a fixed amount from each home in the establishment. 

The Real Reason Why Societies don’t have Water Meters

Many societies are reluctant to install water meters because of the high cost of separate water meter installation in apartments.

The price of a water meter is around ₹5000. Installing 50-100 water meters would cost a lot of money. Additionally, if any plumbing rework is required for the installation, that would drive up the cost.

Most societies don’t realise that installing water meters is a long-term investment that would guarantee a return on investment in terms of reduced water bills over a decade.

Here are a few reasons that you as a responsible committee member of the Society can use to convince members of the society to reconsider this system.

Here’s Why Your Society Must Use Water Sub Meters

The benefits of installing water submeters in your society outweigh the cost. Here are a few reasons why you must have water sub-meters installed in your society.

1. Water Meters Bring Accountability in Water Usage

Measuring your water consumption is the first step to changing it.  There might be small water leakages in your home that you don't pay attention to. Or maybe you are somebody who uses the flush too liberally. You can use your monthly water meter reading to prevent wasteful usage of water and use water more judiciously.

2. Water Sub-Meters are Fairer

Admit it, Flat billing is Unfair. You've probably realised this when you lived as a student or bachelor in an apartment complex where the residents were primarily families.

If your society is charging you a flat rate, it probably means that the owner is dividing the total water consumption equally amongst its homes. Each home consumes water differently. This will depend largely on the number of people living in the house.

The fair alternative is a Pay-Per-Use billing system. Installing water meters will instantly solve this problem. Water meters will give you the exact amount of water being consumed. This will prevent any conflict that may occur between households in society.

3. Water Conservation as a Lifestyle Choice

Climate Change Consciousness and environmental responsibility are becoming an extension of everyday life.  Having separate water meters is a good way to encourage this lifestyle. Given the rising popularity of water metering technology, Home Automation societies can even consider installing smart water meters.

All about Installing Water Meters

Cost Estimate for Installing Water Meters

If you are thinking of installing a water meter that will last you for decades, allow yourself to spend ₹5000 for each unit of water meter that you have to install.

Say your apartment complex has 40 units, the estimated cost would be around ₹2,00,000(2 Lakhs).

If you feel this is a hefty cost, think about the amount of money that you will save concerning water tanker purchases. For each water tanker, you are paying ₹2000 per water tanker. Installing separate water meters will nudge households to spend water more judiciously and thus it will result in lower water usage.

In summary, investing one time in water meters would give you a return on investment in 5 to 6 years.

How to Install a Water Meter

How Long does It Take to Install a Water Meter

If the water meter connections are intact and if you have the right tools and equipment with you, installing a water meter can be done in a matter of minutes. However, an expert plumber will know the guidelines to be followed when installing a water meter and can complete the task more quickly.

Guidelines to Follow when Installing a Water Meter

The Bureau of Indian Standards has prescribed standardised guidelines on how to install water meters. Here are some guidelines you can follow–

• The Water meter is a delicate instrument. Handle it with care. Try not to jerk it or let it fall as it may affect the accuracy of measurements.
• The meter should be installed in a readily accessible spot. Install the meter in a place below the level of the water communication pipes so that the meter always contains ample water.
• Preferably the meter should be housed in a chamber with a lid for protection. 
• The meter should be installed so that the water flow direction is in the same direction as the arrow mark inside the meter.
• The protective lid should be closed and should be opened only for reading the dial.

Steps to Install a Water Meter

Here are the steps that you can follow to fit a water meter in your home or society.

Ensure that your plumbing is done by a licensed plumber so that you get it correct in one go.

1. Choose an accessible location for installing the water meter. There should be 30 cm of access space around the water meter.
2. Fit sediment filters to ensure that no sediments or particles find their way into the meter.
3. A 10x diameter undisturbed pipe (pipe without valves, bends, T’s or joints) should be installed upstream and a 5x diameter pipe should be installed downstream of the pipe.
4. If there are multiple inlet pipes then you must re-plumb the pipes into a single water main leading to each flat.

If you plan on installing a water meter for your own home, the best way to do it would be to arrange for a plumber from the locality to do it for you. A plumber will have the right tools and know-how on the technical nitty-gritty of the water submeter installation process and hence would be able to complete the job quickly.

However, if you are concerned about the quality of services that are being offered by the plumber, we recommend that you use NoBroker’s Plumbing Services.

How NoBroker Can Help

Be it repair and replacement of water fixtures or residential water meter installation, NoBroker Home Services has you covered!

You can start by ordering a Complete Home Plumbing Checkup. A Certified expert plumber will come to your home and check out all your water connections and plumbing for leaks and wear.

NoBroker guarantees the lowest price quotes that you can find in the market for plumbing services. Book your service by selecting a date and time and relax while the plumber arrives at your doorstep and does the work for you.

Frequently Asked Questions