ᐅ Separate Water Meter for Garden Irrigation – How to Read the Meter
Created on: 15 Jun 2021 13:41
T
Tx-25
Hello everyone,
We have a separate water meter before our outdoor water connection.
I have noticed that both the main meter and the outdoor meter turn when, for example, I water the lawn.
How should I report the water usage when requested?
Should I read the main meter for consumption and for wastewater report both the main meter and the garden meter?
We moved in last year around mid-year.
For both water supply and wastewater, 48 m³ (1,693 cubic feet) were billed.
I submitted the meter reading myself. The reading card only shows one meter number.
That number corresponds to the meter connected through the water utility.
The garden meter was installed by the plumber.
We have a separate water meter before our outdoor water connection.
I have noticed that both the main meter and the outdoor meter turn when, for example, I water the lawn.
How should I report the water usage when requested?
Should I read the main meter for consumption and for wastewater report both the main meter and the garden meter?
We moved in last year around mid-year.
For both water supply and wastewater, 48 m³ (1,693 cubic feet) were billed.
I submitted the meter reading myself. The reading card only shows one meter number.
That number corresponds to the meter connected through the water utility.
The garden meter was installed by the plumber.
Musketier schrieb:
We also had a separate submeter installed. However, it first had to be inspected and sealed by the utility association. After that, it must be replaced and re-inspected every 5 years. Both have to be reported. How much does it cost?
What is the cost of the sealing?
N
nordanney15 Jun 2021 16:54Tx-25 schrieb:
How much does it cost to replace the meter after 5 or 6 years?The material cost is €15 (about $16) for a calibrated meter. The question will be what the water utility company charges on top of that.
The water meter cost somewhere between 20 and 25 euros, I replaced it myself, and the sealing, as far as I know, was around 50 euros.
Our outdoor water usage has varied quite a bit over the years. Some years it was about 30 m³ (35 cubic yards), but during one dry year, if I remember correctly, it went almost up to 80 m³ (105 cubic yards).
So, you start saving by the end of the first year and continue saving over the next four. For those with large pools, it probably makes even more financial sense.
The risk I see for us is that, due to climate change, watering the lawn with drinking water might eventually be prohibited. Compared to Germany as a whole, we get significantly less rainfall. That’s when you begin building a rainwater cistern, which would have been much more cost-effective if constructed earlier.
Our outdoor water usage has varied quite a bit over the years. Some years it was about 30 m³ (35 cubic yards), but during one dry year, if I remember correctly, it went almost up to 80 m³ (105 cubic yards).
So, you start saving by the end of the first year and continue saving over the next four. For those with large pools, it probably makes even more financial sense.
The risk I see for us is that, due to climate change, watering the lawn with drinking water might eventually be prohibited. Compared to Germany as a whole, we get significantly less rainfall. That’s when you begin building a rainwater cistern, which would have been much more cost-effective if constructed earlier.
Musketier schrieb:
The water meter cost somewhere between 20 and 25€; I installed it myself, and the sealing was, to my knowledge, around 50€.
Our outdoor water usage has varied quite a bit over the past few years. Some years it was about 30m³ (1,060 cubic feet), but in one dry year it went up to almost 80m³ (2,825 cubic feet), if I remember correctly.
So, you start saving by the end of the first year and continue saving for the next four. For those with large pools, it probably pays off even sooner.
The risk I see in our area is that, due to climate change, it could eventually be prohibited to irrigate lawns with drinking water. Compared to the whole of Germany, we receive considerably less rainfall. That's when people start building cisterns, which would have made more financial sense if constructed earlier.In such regions, getting permission for a well is no longer possible. Or well owners are told not to extract any more water (unless the well has already dried up).
A household-sized cistern empties after 1–2 weeks. Without a well, it becomes rather pointless and also quite expensive.
B
BBaumeister16 Jun 2021 16:15This is how it went for us: we installed a water meter with a calibration date (it does not need to be sealed), which cost 15 euros, and we handled the installation ourselves.
The main water meter is read annually (the reading is sent by email).
The water from the garden meter is reported once a year and then deducted accordingly. We have a form for this, where the meter reading and usage must be entered.
We recouped the costs quickly since the garden was newly established and therefore required extensive watering. Due to the additional south-facing orientation, we used 45 cubic meters (about 58.9 cubic yards) of water in the first year.
The main water meter is read annually (the reading is sent by email).
The water from the garden meter is reported once a year and then deducted accordingly. We have a form for this, where the meter reading and usage must be entered.
We recouped the costs quickly since the garden was newly established and therefore required extensive watering. Due to the additional south-facing orientation, we used 45 cubic meters (about 58.9 cubic yards) of water in the first year.
I had the external water meter installed by the plumber while he was already in the house for heating maintenance. It cost around 100 euros (approximately 110 USD). The plumber also sealed it. I then reported the installation to the utility company using a form, and since then I have been submitting both meter readings. No basic fee has been charged.
Our neighbors, who have a very high garden water consumption, had the utility company come to check their installation to see if something was wrong. But everything was fine. They really do water that much.
Our neighbors, who have a very high garden water consumption, had the utility company come to check their installation to see if something was wrong. But everything was fine. They really do water that much.
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