Submetering

For various reasons of practicality and economics, many apartment buildings and strip malls receive water through one “master” meter. This removes the accountability of water use from the tenants, which have the most control over water use efficiency. As with all metering, metered customers usually use 15% to 20% less water than un-metered customers. Recently, efforts to submeter these facilities have been initiated by water agencies, building owners, and private entrepreneurs. State and local laws sometimes hinder these efforts, but many states have already introduced or enacted legislation to accommodate this need.