Domestic water meter accuracy

Abstract

The accuracy of water meters is a fundamental component of the sustainability of all water supply related services provided by municipalities, as one of their core functions. An appropriate water meter audit provides a starting point on which a proper water meter management plan needs to be based. The replacement of these meters can be an expensive exercise and the accuracy, taking ageing into consideration, is of critical importance. The research presented in this paper focuses on the possible influence that ageing might have on the accuracy of domestic water meters. The paper also provides key pointers for a useful water meter audit to enable an appropriate water meter management plan. The research results clearly show that ageing does have an impact, but that most of the old meters tested under laboratory conditions, still provide surprisingly accurate results despite their long operational lifetime (20+ years). The losses incurred as a result of these inaccuracies needs to be weighed carefully against the financial cost of a meter replacement program with a 10 year replacement interval.