How Do Water Meters Work?

To identify the volume of water flowing through a specific pipe, you can install a water meter virtually anywhere. A water meter can be installed at a main water pipe, or at a more specific location such as in each occupant unit.

Read on to learn more about how water meters work, and what water meter types are available.

How Do They Work?

Water that enters your building from public water sources goes through a water lateral, and then through a water meter. Each type of water meter uses a different mechanism to measure the velocity of fluid moving through the measurement chamber. The size of this chamber is used as part of calculating the volume of fluid.

One of the most common types of water meter is the mechanical water meter. It has an impeller in the measurement chamber, which rotates when water passes through the chamber. The flow rate is calculated based on this rotation. They do not require a power supply.

Another type of water meter is the electromagnetic water meter, which uses voltage to calculate the flow rate by reading the velocity of water moving through the measurement chamber. They require a power supply.

The last type is the ultrasonic water meter, which measures water flow with sound. They can do this by measuring either the time it takes for the signal to get from one point to another, the transit time, or the difference in the signal’s frequency, the doppler shift. They may require a power supply.

It is essential that water meters are correctly sized for proper water quality and resource management.

How Do Water & Sewage Bills Work?

Generally, your water bill is based on the amount of water that enters your facility, and sewer bills are based on the amount of water that exits it. The amount of water that enters the facility is often used to calculate the amount that exits the facility, so proper water monitoring is important for both water and sewage bills.

How Do You Read Your Water Meter?
Depending on the type of water meter that you have, reading it can be confusing. Although digital readers are straightforward, analog readers can be more confusing.

However, if you install our Water Streamer on your water meter, it can make reading your water meters simple. In addition, you can easily access your water readings through your dashboard.

What Else Can Your Water Meter Tell You?

Your readings of your water flow can tell you a lot about your building’s water consumption. If your overall water consumption is increasing, it’s a good sign that it’s time to check your water system. You could have a leak, or a component of the system isn’t working as efficiently as possible.

If you have water meters installed in individual pipes, such as in occupant spaces, it can give you a closer look into individual water usage, and can help you implement submetering to divert some water costs.

Conclusion

If you want to learn more about how you can best use the data provided by your water meter, contact us today and we would be happy to assist you. To learn more about how Connnected Sensors can help, contact us today.