The implementation of a multi-water meter system in new or existing multi-unit properties that allows owners to measure their own individual water usage and be charged for their respective water consumption. Sub-meters are used for units, duplexes, townhouses, apartment complexes, and commercial buildings.
Private meters are installed on private property by the owner/s and used by them to apportion costs of measured water consumption according to ‘user pays’ rather than by lot contribution or some other method. Private meters are owned and maintained by private individuals or their Body Corporate.
Yes. Our meters with their radio reading devices are Pattern Approved by the Australian National Measurement Institute for billing purposes (NMI 14/3/37). As per regulation, they are then Verified (batch tested) on arrival in Australia. All of our products are WaterMark certified (WMK26291, WMK26661).
Water service provider approval is not required for sub-meters that have been retro-fitted in existing properties, where the sub meters are not used for direct invoicing by the water service provider.
Benefits
Sub-metering requires a large (‘master’) water meter at a complex as well as individual (‘sub’) water meters for each unit. The master meter measures the total water being used at the complex and the sub-meters, which are downstream of the master meter, measure the water used by each unit.
If there is any difference between the master meter usage and the total of the sub-meters, then this ‘residual consumption‘ is billed to the body corporate for common area usage (such as pool and garden).
Fixed access charges, with any applicable concessions, will continue to be invoiced to each owner by their water provider.
Save Money
As an owner-occupier, you are assured that you are only being billed for the water that you actually use. No splitting the bill with your neighbours or paying for water while your unit is vacant. Detect Leaks
Leak alerts help reduce the risk of water damage and excessive bills while allowing for prompt maintenance. Conserve Water
With portal access to closely monitor your water usage, you’re empowered to conserve water. Add Value
Increased appeal to prospective buyers with individually metered water, creating a more sustainable and harmonious community.
Save Money
On-charge the water usage component of your bill to your tenant (providing the rental property is ‘water efficient’ and the tenancy agreement states that the tenant must pay for water consumption). Detect Leaks
Leak alerts help reduce the risk of water damage and excessive bills while allowing for prompt maintenance. Conserve Water
With portal access to closely monitor water usage, your tenants are empowered to conserve water. Add Value
Increased appeal to prospective buyers with individually metered water, creating a more sustainable and harmonious community.
Absolutely! Everyone should have the benefit of equitable water bills. Our sub-meters are utilised in a variety of settings by businesses from laundromats, hairdressers and restaurants, to accountants, travel agents and retail outlets.
Switching to user-pays water
Sub-meters are installed at the isolator or stop tap for your unit or lot. This is the tap that turns off water to all outlets within your lot.
When installed inside your property, Body Corporate approval is not required. However, it would be courteous to let your Body Corporate know in case they wish to consider sub-metering your whole complex.
When installed on common property, Body Corporate approval is required.
Sub-meters do not replace or interfere with the council/water provider’s master meter to a complex. They simply give accurate information on the actual water used by each unit so that water usage can be attributed on a ‘user-pays’ basis rather than a lot contribution basis.
For owner-investors, yes. You can receive the bill for measured water consumption to on-charge your tenant.
For owner-occupiers, you can benefit from individual ‘user-pays’ water bills if your whole complex installs water meters. This is a prerequisite to changing your method of billing.
How does it work?
The schedule for meter readings is generally aligned with that of your water provider.
Initial readings of your individual and master meter are taken immediately following installation and then monthly after that.
We will liaise with your billing agent to ensure a smooth transition from the last of your shared bills to fairer, user-pays water bills.
More frequent monthly reads mean:
– more granular data for alerting you to detected leaks and
– better information for you to monitor your water usage via the portal, and see the impact of your water conservation efforts!
Generally not. Water consumed between your last meter read and our check-read following the installation of your sub-meters can be apportioned by lot contribution, and thereafter by measured usage.
We liaise closely with your Body Corporate and water provider to ensure a smooth transition to equitable bills.
Fair Water Bills meter readers have no need to access your property. When our meter readers walk or drive past, the wireless radio module fitted on your meter is prompted to send your meter read data along with any alerts. Otherwise, it remains in a rest state.
At the same time, our meter readers manually read the master meter so that we can calculate ‘residual consumption’ (common area usage).
Once we receive your meter read data, you will be promptly notified if your meter has detected a leak.
The radio module collects and processes pulses received from the measuring device and sends them to the remote reading system.
The radio module:
– automatically saves monthly water consumption data (up to 12 months)
– records unusual usage / “alarm” notifications (for leaks/baseline flow, backflow, or tampering)
When the drive-by reader comes within range:
– your radio module is ‘woken’ by the remote reading system
– it transmits your usage data and any “alarm” notifications to the remote reading system
The data is matched to your meter’s serial number in our system and is then used to generate your water bill.
This remote reading system is robust and reliable and has been used and trusted around the world for decades.
Meter read data is sent to our billing platform, where usage charges are calculated using sub-meter readings and the water provider’s published pricing. Invoices are issued to the Owner by Fair Water Bills via email (at no additional charge) or postal mail ($3 per invoice applies). Landlords may have their emailed invoices copied to their property manager.
Our billing administration services for Bodies Corporate generally include recovery of funds, whereas non-strata communities usually prefer that invoices be sent to one central source for distribution. Tailored options are available to suit.
Common water is calculated as the difference between the bulk meter and the sum of the sub-meters. This amount is allocated by the Body Corporate via levies.
Accuracy, reliability, and warranty
Water meters used for billing purposes are required to be verified or replaced every 8 years, which can be costly and a hassle.
Unlike a conventional meter, our ECO measuring capsule simply unscrews to be recycled so it’s kinder on the planet and your pocket. When the time comes, we send you a reminder.
Fair Water Meters are triple-tested for durability as well as accuracy – twice in Germany and samples from each batch are tested again upon arrival in Australia as part of mandatory verification. Hence our unprecedented warranties.
Provided your meter has been installed as recommended, a fault is highly unlikely.
We are proud to introduce meters of this quality to Australia and customer satisfaction is very important to us. If you have a concern, please contact us directly.
We provide a 50-Year Warranty on the base or manifold, and an 8-Year Warranty on the ECO measuring capsule with radio module.
“We own a flat in an older building and rent it out. Every owner is responsible for paying a portion of the water bill. It was surprising to find out that another unit, which was rented out, was actually operating a commercial laundry! We swapped to Fair Water Meters and our tenant is so grateful … we passed on the savings by reducing his rent as it was the right thing to do.”
Patrick Sloane – Unit Owner
“When I purchased my one-bedroom apartment, I knew I would be splitting the water bill with 10 other owners, but had no idea that two of them had leaky toilets. Our bills halved after we switched to Fair Water Meters. Best decision our body corp ever made.”
Joanne Rawson – Unit Owner
“I was so sick of paying high water bills when I hardly used a drop! Sometimes I would get water bills for $350 when I had only been home one week in a month. I changed to a Fair Water Meter and now I am paying my fair share.”
Scott Murphy – Resident
“Sharing the bill when dining out can be fraught with danger. Sharing your water bill with your fellow apartment residents can be positively expensive! After switching to Fair Water Meters we discovered that one our fellow residents was running a day spa business from their apartment and we were subsidising them!”.
Olivia Brady – Body Corporate Secretary
“We had a slow leak we didn’t know about in one of our units. It must have been there for years until Fair Water Meters were installed – their smart meters detected the leak in the first month and they texted us with the alert. Already they’re saving us money.”
Alan O’Toole – Unit Resident
“Fair Water Meters saved us serious money! It was an easy switch as the Fair Water Meters team guided our body corporate management through the simple process. Thank you Fair Water Meters!”
Jonny Graves – Resident
“Saving water is such an important and easy thing to do. Fair Water Meters is the only product I’ve found that enables residents to see how much water they are actually consuming. Do something for yourself and the environment and give the team at Fair Water Meters a call.”
Sarah Hahn – Body Corporate Secretary
“Switching to Fair Water Meters is the best move we’ve made in a long time!”
Gerard Wait – Unit Resident
“Easy to switch. Saving money already by not paying for my neighbours long showers!”
