Utility submetering puts a meter on each unit that measures and bills its water/sewer, gas, and electric use. The technology has been around since the early 1920s. NES installs the meters, reads them, pays the master-meter bill, and bills your residents, all in-house and with bilingual support.
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.
For water and sewer, yes. In 2026 the South Carolina Court of Appeals held that owners who pass water and sewer costs to residents at cost, with a third party handling billing, are not public utilities and need no PSC approval (Zito v. Strata Audubon), and the state Supreme Court declined to review the decision in June 2026. Electric and gas submetering are not allowed in South Carolina, and a few cities, including Greenville and West Columbia, do not allow submetered water billing. The lease should allow utility billing, and residents pay only actual costs. NES handles it end to end.
Owners who bill residents for water and sewer at cost are not public utilities under South Carolina law, per a 2026 Court of Appeals decision (Zito v. Strata Audubon). Utility service itself in Charleston County falls under the Public Service Commission of SC. NES tracks the current South Carolina and local requirements for your address, so billing is set up to match the rule.
Water is provided by the Charleston Water System and nearby systems. 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 Charleston area.
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.
No. NES installs nonproprietary meters that other companies can read, and extended warranties are available on our submeters. You're never locked in.