Smart Water Submetering – What is it and How to Get It?

Have you ever wondered how utility usage is accurately tracked in multifamily or commercial properties? Submetering is a system that measures individual utility consumption, ensuring each tenant is billed fairly.

Water submetering, a specific type of submetering, focuses on monitoring water usage in each unit. By installing individual water meters, property managers can accurately allocate water costs, promote responsible consumption, and detect leaks early to prevent costly damages. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of water submetering and guide you on how to get it installed in your property.

What is Water Submetering?

Water submetering is a utility billing system designed to measure and monitor the water usage of individual units within multifamily or commercial properties. This system of submeters for water involves installing individual water meters in each unit or tenant space, allowing property owners, landlords, or managers to accurately track each unit’s water consumption and allocate water utility costs accordingly.

By implementing these systems, each tenant pays their fair share of the water bill, preventing property owners from covering the costs of resident utilities out of pocket. Water submetering systems encourage responsible water use and help reduce overall water consumption. 

Understanding Advanced Smart Water Submetering

An advanced smart water submeter is typically installed in each apartment in multifamily residential structures. It aims to monitor and evaluate the water consumption of each unit in an apartment. If the water submeters are not “smart,” where the meter readings are remotely uploaded to the submetering service provider, a monthly manual reading of each meter will be necessary. 

Water submetering is basically installing secondary meters at individual customer or tenant locations to track and measure their independent water usage. 

This consists of two main components: 

• Parts installed inside the property a system that transmits the estimated data on each customer’s water usage to a central processing unit. 
• A separate bill from the primary utility is then issued to each tenant or customer whose payments offset their portion of the water bill.

How Advanced Smart Water Submeter Works  

Water submetering works by installing meters on each unit’s water supply. These meters measure each unit’s water, allowing property managers and owners to bill tenants for their usage accurately. These submeters for water can be read manually or automatically depending on the system used. The meter is connected to a data collection system, which transmits usage data regularly. This data is monitored and analyzed, and the subsequent billing is allocated proportionately to each customer. 

Smart water submeters go beyond traditional measurement by incorporating advanced technology for real-time data analysis and management. These systems leverage wireless communication to automatically send water usage data to a central system, facilitating immediate insights into consumption patterns. This enables more efficient water use, timely leak detection, and personalized billing.

Integrating IoT (Internet of Things) technology further enhances these capabilities, allowing a water submeter with a remote reader to help monitor and manage, significantly stream operations, and improve water billing accuracy.

Why Would You Need a Water Submetering Solution?

In a typical multifamily residential structure with no water submetering, the tenants are insulated from the cost of their individual water consumption decisions. Tenant submetering comes to the rescue by setting up distinct meters for every tenant or apartment unit within a building to monitor their water usage. This approach differs from conventional utility submetering systems that typically charge the entire building as one unit. 

Submetering water meters for individual apartment units ensures tenants are billed solely based on their water consumption, promoting fairness and accountability in utility usage. The property owners bear the monthly water and wastewater expenses. Property owners/managers often implement a partial utility recovery scheme such as RUBS (Ratio Utility Billing System) to alleviate the burden of increasing utility expenses. 

By installing an advanced utility submetering system, landlords can accurately represent their tenants’ water consumption and proportionately assign costs to the tenants. Landlords can accurately track and bill tenants for their consumption, encouraging responsible usage and quick leak reporting. This shift ensures fair billing and enhances property value by accurately capturing and managing utility costs. 

Moreover, submetering aligns with the increasing demand for eco-friendly living spaces, offering a transparent utility usage system that incentivizes tenants to conserve water, ultimately leading to operational efficiencies and cost savings for tenants and landlords. This allows the landlords to collect payments from those tenants with higher consumption and keep the costs from being shared by everyone.

Benefits of Smart Water Submetering

The benefits of water submetering are evident for both landlords and tenants.

• Fair Billing for Tenants: Mechanical meters ensure tenants only pay for their actual water use, eliminating collective cost-sharing.
• Encourages Conservation: Individual billing through submetering holds tenants accountable for their water usage, fostering conservation efforts.
• Operational Cost Savings: Individual meters identify exact usage, encouraging conservation, enabling better management, and reducing utility costs.
• Environmental Benefits: A smart water submetering solution can reduce tenant water consumption by 20% to 30%. Submetering can reduce water use, achieve LEED certification, and incentivize eco-friendly practices for a smaller carbon footprint.
• Early Problem Detection: Identifies leaks and inefficiencies early, preventing costly repairs and ensuring better building performance.
• Data-Driven Management: Provides valuable insights into water usage, facilitating energy-efficient upgrades and cost-reduction strategies.
• Eco-Conscious Tenants: Attracts tenants who value sustainability, using green practices as a competitive marketing advantage.

Which Properties Can Have Water Submeters?

Water submeters can be installed in various properties, enhancing utility management and promoting water conservation. They are particularly advantageous in multi-tenant buildings, where individual water usage tracking fosters fairness and encourages responsible consumption; that is why it is also popularly known as Tenant Submetering.

Submetering also finds relevance in single-family homes and townhouses, especially in communities aiming for precise water usage monitoring to support sustainable living practices.

Water submeters can be installed in many properties, including 

• apartment buildings,
• multifamily properties, 
• new developments, 
• condominiums/HOAs, 
• mobile home parks and communities,
• townhouses,
• commercial properties, 
• industrial facilities. 

Any property with multiple units or tenants can benefit from advanced smart water submetering. Contact a qualified water submetering specialist to explore the best solution for your property. 

Smart Water Submetering: Installation and Maintenance

Water Submetering covers two ways on how to get you water submeters installed .

There are two main options for installation: 

• DIY 
• professional installation. 

DIY Installation and Maintenance

DIY installation can be cost-effective, but it is only recommended for properties with simple plumbing systems and experienced individuals. For more complex properties, it is best to seek the assistance of a professional service provider. 

Maintenance is also an essential aspect of a smart water submeter. Regular maintenance can help identify leaks, inaccuracies, and other issues before they become costly problems. DIY maintenance can be done by inspecting the water submeters and surrounding plumbing for signs of leaks or damage. 

Professional Installation and Maintenance

The professional installation offers the advantage of expertise and knowledge in dealing with the intricacies of advanced water submeter systems, ensuring accuracy and longevity. 

However, professional maintenance is still recommended annually to ensure the water submeters function correctly and address any issues that may arise.

Professional maintenance includes thoroughly inspecting the submeters, meter readers, and plumbing to identify leaks, damages, or inaccuracies. The professional will then perform necessary repairs or replacements, ensuring the water submeters function accurately and efficiently.

For seamless water submeter installation and maintenance, Dune Labs offers comprehensive solutions tailored to your needs. With their expertise, you can ensure your Water Submetering system operates efficiently and accurately year-round. 

Contact Dunes today to explore how their professional services can optimize your water management and save costs.

How to Get Water Submetering: A Step-by-Step Guide 

If you’re interested in acquiring a submetering water solution, there are a few steps you need to take. Here is the step-by-step guide. 

Researching Smart Water Submetering Providers 

Due to the specialized nature of water submetering, you must do your research and select a qualified provider with a proven track record. Verify their credentials and ask current customers for their opinions on the provider. 

Additionally, consider the technological advancements and compatibility of their systems with your existing infrastructure to ensure seamless integration. It’s also crucial to evaluate their customer service and support system, as timely assistance can significantly impact the effectiveness of your submetering solution.

Getting a Quote for Smart Water Submetering

The cost of installing water flow meters varies based on several factors, including the number of units needed, the building’s age, meter size, and any required building permits and inspections. Additionally, plumbing expenses play a significant role in the overall cost. Once you’ve narrowed your selection to a few providers, contact each provider and ask for quotes on their services. Then, compare the prices and services to select the best option.

Signing a Submetering Agreement 

When signing a submetering agreement, please read the terms and conditions to ensure you understand them. Be sure to ask for clarification on anything you’re uncertain about.  

Additionally, it’s vital to inquire about the duration of the contract, any associated fees, and the dispute resolution process. Understanding these aspects can help prevent unexpected costs and provide a clear path forward in case of any discrepancies with the service.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations in Water Submetering

Incorporating water submeters in apartments demands adherence to varied legal and regulatory standards, which differ by region. This involves securing appropriate permits, ensuring meter accuracy, and establishing fair billing practices. Property owners must also consider tenant rights and data privacy. 

Installation and Activation of Advance Smart Water Submetering 

Once the agreement is signed, install and activate the system by DIY or seek help from a professional. The installation typically involves running new lines to each customer’s meter and setting up the data collection system. Ensure the system’s configuration is tailored to your needs, including data reporting frequency and alerts for unusual usage patterns. It’s also essential to conduct a thorough testing phase with the provider to verify that the submetering system operates correctly before it goes live.

Talking to a Specialist 

If you want advanced smart water submetering for your property, you should speak with a specialist at Dune Labs. Dune Labs is a reputable smart water submetering solutions provider for multi-unit properties.

You can contact Dune Labs via phone, email, or their website to speak with a specialist. Our Dune team of experts will happily answer all your questions and provide more information about their submetering products and services.

When speaking with a specialist at Dune Labs, you can expect them to ask you some basic questions about your property, such as the number of units and the type of plumbing system. They may also ask about your water usage patterns and any water conservation initiatives you have in place.

The specialist at Dune Labs can also provide you with information about the benefits of water submetering, such as promoting sustainable water use, reducing costs, and identifying leaks and other issues early.

Frequently asked questions

What is water submetering?

Water submetering is a system that allows individual units within a multi-unit property to be billed for their actual water usage rather than being billed for a portion of the building’s total water bill.

What are the benefits of a water submeter?

The benefits of water submeter include promoting sustainable water use, reducing costs, identifying leaks and other issues early, and providing accurate billing for each unit.

Can water submetering be installed in existing properties?

Yes, water submetering can be installed in existing properties. However, the complexity and cost of the installation will depend on the existing plumbing system and the number of units in the building.

Do tenants need to give permission for water submetering to be installed?

Yes, tenants need permission to install advanced smart water submetering in their units. This can be done through a lease addendum or other agreement.

What kind of maintenance is required for smart submetering water systems?

Advanced smart water submeter systems require minimal maintenance. However, regular inspections and meter cleaning may be necessary to ensure accurate readings.

How can I choose the right water submetering provider?

When choosing a water submetering provider, it’s important to consider factors such as experience, reputation, and customer service. Getting quotes from multiple providers and comparing their pricing and services is also a good idea.