Meter Maintenance Practice

Abstract

discussing any plans of meter maintenance, it will perhaps be best to sell the idea of maintaining a riieter. This may seem to be a foolish point to raise, but a survey just completed in 52 cities in the United States and Canada (Jour. A.W.W.A., 33: 1381 (1940)) indicated that some cities do not regard the meter as the precision instrument that it is. In other words, it is not, in all cases, realized that proper maintenance will more than pay for the time and money spent. There is no standard answer to the question, should be a proper meter maintenance program? because what would be good practice in one city might be poor in another. Each community has its own problem because its water supply is unique. It is realized, of course, that one water may be more corrosive or abrasive than another and that different makes of meters give different results, so what is said here about meter maintenance practice may or may not apply to any given plant. Generally speaking, however, the procedures are somewhat similar. In discussing the problem it should be pointed out that reference is being made specifically to f-inch disc type meters, although, in general, the same procedures apply to all disc type meters. The goal toward which all effort is directed is to achieve as nearly 100 per cent registration as possible. Several factors will determine just how close to 100 per cent registration will be desirable. If the cost of the water sold is high, the accuracy figure should be high. If there is a problem of shortage of water, accuracy should be high. Also, if disposal of sewage is a problem, high accuracy should be the aim. Last, and most important, it should be pointed out that it is only good business practice to get high efficiency from all equipment. There seems to be no good reason why, under any circumstances, the highest possible accuracy consistent with returns involved should not be the goal. What is meant by high accuracy, and the flows at which these accuracy tests should be made, are factors to be considered. In the matter of flows,