A water meter is a device used to measure the volume of water usage. For households, they work in a similar way to electricity meters.
Water meters measure how much water your household uses. They also inform councils how much water is being used and by whom. In most areas where residential water meters are installed, households are charged for the volume of water they use.
Councils that have introduced residential water metering have found that overall water usage has decreased. Volume charging in Nelson City Council has reduced peak water demand over summer by at least 37per cent.
In some areas ratepayers are able to choose to have a water meter installed and pay for the volume they actually use, rather than be charged a set amount as part of their rates bill.
Auckland City, Manukau City, Papakura District, North Shore City, Waitakere City, Rodney District, Tauranga City, Franklin District, Nelson City, Whangarei District, Tasman District, Christchurch City and Hauraki District all have residential water metering. There are some other councils which have particular areas with residential water metering.
Some other councils around the country are considering introducing residential water metering. This is one of the ways councils can manage water usage and rationalise infrastructure requirements to meet the current growing demands on water supply.
All of the councils listed above (except Christchurch City) charge for water used. The rates vary from council to council. Rates can be set as a fixed charge per unit of water used or according to a scale of charges.
In areas without household water metering, households are charged a fixed amount for water as part of their rates, rather than charged for the volume of water they use.
To find out how much your household’s water costs, check your water bill or your rates bill depending on which way you are charged. If you want further information about rates and charges for water supply and wastewater, check your council’s website.
A lot of water can be wasted through leaks. It is not always easy to tell if you have any leaks. One way is to check your water meter.
The meter is usually located within the front of your homes boundary in a timber, plastic, concrete or metal box. This is also sometimes called a toby. You will need to flip up the box, and inside you’ll find the meter and on it will be a gauge with numbers. Most will be in litres, but some older meters could still be in gallon measures.
To use your meter to check for leaks:
There are lots of ways to reduce the amount of water you use at home. If you are charged by water volume used, this can help reduce your water bill. Using less hot water will help save money on your power bill as well.
