FAQs

A sub-meter is a water meter that measures the water supplied to an individual lot, common property or part of the common property within the scheme. This differs from the master meter which measures the water supplied to the whole of the scheme land.

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.

For Strata:

An individual (sub) meter is installed at the isolator valve or stop tap for each lot to capture the actual water usage. Additional meters can be installed to capture common water.

If you are currently billed via “lot contribution method”, your complex will switch over to “Body Corporate billing method” (where the Body Corporate is invoiced for the total volume of water supplied to the scheme).  e.g. Scenario 1 in the Water Sub-Metering and Billing Arrangements For Community Titles Schemes Policy – Gold Coast City Council.

Service Charges continue to be invoiced to the unit owner by the water service provider. Any applicable subsidy or concession will be applied to this individual account.

Water Usage Charges for each unit are calculated from your sub-meter readings and invoiced to the unit owner via your billing agent (e.g. Fair Water Bills).  Landlords may recoup this amount from their tenants providing the relevant legislative criteria have been met. (See Water charging – Residential Tenancies Authority.)

Water usage charges for Common Areas (e.g. pool, carwash) are 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.

For Landlords:

If your complex implements individual metering, you can simply request that a copy of the invoice from your billing agent be forwarded to your property manager to recoup the measured water usage charges from your tenant.*

If your complex has yet to become individually metered, you will continue to be invoiced by your water provider as you are now, but you can arrange for the invoice from your billing agent (Fair Water Bills) to be forwarded to your property manager to recoup the measured water usage charges from your tenant.*
*Please see the guidelines for on-charging water usage for your state.

QLD
Water charging – Residential Tenancies Authority
What are the minimum criteria for water charging?
Lessors are able to pass on the full water consumption charges to tenants if:
– the rental premises are individually metered (or water is delivered by vehicle), and
– the rental premises are water efficient, and
– the tenancy agreement states the tenant must pay for water consumption.

NSW
Paying water charges – Fair Trading 
The minimum criteria for passing on water usage charges are:
– the rental premises must be individually metered (or water is delivered by vehicle, such as those with water tanks on rural properties), and
– the charges must not exceed the amount billed for water usage by the water supplier, and
– the rental premises must meet required ‘water efficiency’ standards.

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.

Yes. There is even more need for sub-meters in commercial complexes. Just think of the huge difference in water used by businesses like laundromats, hairdressers and restaurants, compared to accountants, travel agents and retail outlets!

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.

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, as water providers tend to update their system as soon as the new water charges agreement is received or scheduled to take effect.

There is no need for our meter readers to access your property. When our meter readers drive past, the wireless radio module fitted on your meter is “pinged” and it responds by sending your meter read data.

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 are sent to our billing platform, or to your nominated billing agent to issue bills to unit owners.

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.

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.

Lifetime Warranty on the base or manifold.
8-Year Replacement Warranty on the ECO measuring capsule with radio module.