What are the benefits of submetering an apartment community?

When residents pay for what they actually use, they cut back. Most properties see 15 to 30 percent lower water use. Submetering also catches leaks early, lets you bill common-area usage accurately, and can raise the value of the property. Payback usually lands within 12 to 18 months.

Is submetering legal in Colorado?

Yes. Residential water, electric, and gas submetering are allowed in Colorado, and owners cannot bill residents above the actual utility cost. Colorado's price transparency law (HB 25-1090, effective January 1, 2026) confirms that combined resident charges cannot exceed the master utility bill, and most billing fees are not allowed. For residential premises with building permits applied for on or after July 1, 2027, RUBS is not allowed and every unit must be submetered or billed directly by the utility. Electric and gas are provided by regulated utilities under the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. NES tracks every requirement so your property stays compliant.

Who regulates submetering in Boulder?

Residential water, electric, and gas submetering are allowed in Colorado, and utilities cannot be provided to residents at a profit. Utility service itself in Boulder falls under the Colorado PUC. NES tracks the current Colorado and local requirements for your address, so billing is set up to match the rule.

Who provides water and utilities in Boulder?

Water is provided by the City of Boulder, and electricity and natural gas by Xcel Energy. NES works with whichever provider serves your property, installs the submeters, reads them, pays the master-meter bill, and bills your residents in-house across the Boulder area.

How much does it cost, and what is the ROI?

Most submetering installs pay for themselves within 12 to 18 months through the utility cost you recover. We'll run the numbers on your actual master-meter bills and unit count, then send you a clear, no-obligation estimate.

Will I be locked into NES equipment?

No. NES installs nonproprietary meters that other companies can read, and extended warranties are available on our submeters. You're never locked in.

Submetering Apartments in Boulder, Colorado

Colorado's price transparency law caps what residents can be billed at the actual utility cost, and most billing fees are not allowed. NES installs the submeters, reads them daily, and bills your residents across Boulder. Get a free bid.

Get a free bid (800) 572-7060

Privately owned since: 1968Privately owned since
States served: 43+States served
Typical utility savings: 15-40%Typical utility savings
In-house support: BilingualIn-house support

NES handles water, gas & electric submetering for apartment communities, condominiums, and mobile home parks across Boulder and the Boulder area. Install, meter reading, resident billing, and compliance, all handled in-house since 1968.

Yes. Submetering is allowed in Boulder, Colorado, with some restrictions.

Owners cannot bill residents above the utility's cost, and NES handles the requirements for you.

What we submeter

Water & sewer
Per-unit water and sewer metering with 24-hour leak alerts.
Natural gas
Accurate gas reads and resident billing, kept compliant.
Electric
Electric submetering on nonproprietary meters you own.

Rules & compliance

Submetering rules & laws in Boulder

Governing rule: HB 25-1090 (Colorado price-transparency law)

Colorado state rules

Residential water, electric, and gas submetering are allowed in Colorado, and utilities cannot be provided to residents at a profit
Under Colorado's price transparency law (HB 25-1090, effective January 1, 2026), residents cannot be billed more than the actual amount the utility charges
Administrative or billing fees on resident utility bills are generally not allowed in Colorado, and shared or common-area utility costs must be excluded from what residents are allocated rather than passed through
Where the lease provides for it, a limited billing fee is allowed on a utility the owner is billed for by a third party: 2% of the billed amount or $10 per month, but not both (C.R.S. 38-12-801(3)(a)(VI))
Colorado leases must disclose how utilities are billed to residents
For residential premises with building permits applied for on or after July 1, 2027, RUBS billing is not allowed, and each unit's gas, electric, and water service must be metered either by the utility or by a submeter (C.R.S. 6-1-737(4.5), added by HB 26-1013, effective March 26, 2026)
Electric and gas service is provided by regulated utilities such as Xcel Energy or municipal utilities, overseen by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission
Residents are billed for their measured usage, and the bill must show the water billing information
NES tracks the current Colorado requirements so your property stays compliant

Local Boulder requirements

Water is provided by the City of Boulder, and electricity and natural gas by Xcel Energy
Boulder requires a rental housing license and written tenant disclosures, so utility billing terms should be set out up front
We serve Boulder and nearby communities, including Longmont, Lafayette, Louisville, Superior, and Erie
NES confirms the rules for your address before the first meter goes in.

How NES keeps you compliant

Tracks every Colorado and local rule that affects your property
Handles rate registrations and required filings
Keeps audit-ready billing archives
Manages tenant disclosures and meter testing

See how NES handles compliance

Official sources: Colorado PUC · Colorado General Assembly (HB 25-1090) · HB 26-1013 / C.R.S. 6-1-737(4.5) (RUBS conditions, 2027 metering rule) · City of Boulder Rental Licensing

General information only, not legal advice; NES assumes no liability for reliance. Confirm current rules with the Colorado PUC or a qualified attorney.

Why owners across the Boulder area choose NES for submetering

Per gallon. Residents pay for what they actually use.
15-30%. Lower utility consumption.
Under 24 hr. Catch leaks before they cost thousands.

How NES handles it, end to end

Step 1
Free assessment
We review your master-meter bills and unit count, then model the recovery. No cost, no obligation.
Step 2
Install meters
We install nonproprietary meters at each unit. The equipment is yours, and other companies can read it.
Step 3
Read & detect
Daily reads pull usage automatically and flag leaks within 24 hours, before they run up a bill.
Step 4
Bill & support
We bill residents, pay the master-meter utility, and field resident questions in-house, in English and Spanish.

Real NES results

130-home park, TexasWater & sewer

$6,600 / yr

annual water and sewer cost, down from $120,000

Before submetering$120,000 / yr

After submetering$6,600 / yr

The park also gained more than $113,000 in annual revenue once each home was billed for its own use. Figures from NES property records.

337-unit apartment communityWater

36% lower

water use per unit after submetering

Before submetering100%

After submetering64%

Water use fell 36% once residents paid for their own consumption. Average cost per unit went from $84.72 to $54.22 a month, about 2,000 gallons saved per unit. Figures from NES property records.

Real NES properties. Results vary by property, utility rates, and resident mix.

Submetering in nearby Colorado cities

NES installs and runs submetering across Colorado. See the rules and results for other communities we serve.

Free assessment

Get a free bid for your property

Tell us about your Boulder property and we’ll respond within one business day.

or call us directly: (800) 572-7060

Privately owned since 1968
Nonproprietary meters, no lock-in
In-house bilingual support
No long-term contracts

Common questions