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 Pennsylvania?

For water, yes. Pennsylvania treats owners who submeter water for their own residents as landlords, not public utilities, so no PUC license is needed, and the main rule is the price cap in 66 Pa.C.S. § 1313: residents cannot be billed more than the utility would charge them directly. Electric submetering depends on the serving utility's PUC-approved tariff, and most tariffs only permit it in buildings whose electric service was installed before 1980. Gas properties on a master meter also carry Act 127 pipeline-safety duties, and NES tracks all of it.

Who regulates submetering in Philadelphia County?

Owners who submeter water for their own residents serve a defined group of tenants, not the public, so they are not public utilities and need no PUC certificate (66 Pa.C.S. § 102; Drexelbrook Associates v. Pa. PUC, 418 Pa. 430 (1965)). Utility service itself in Philadelphia County falls under the PA PUC. NES tracks the current Pennsylvania and local requirements for your address, so billing is set up to match the rule.

Who provides water and utilities in Philadelphia County?

Water and sewer service is provided by the Philadelphia Water Department, electricity by PECO, and natural gas by Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW). 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 Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Most Philadelphia County apartment communities sit on a single Philadelphia Water Department master meter, and the owner eats the bill. NES installs the submeters, reads them daily, pays the master-meter bill, and bills your residents for their own use. 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 Philadelphia County and the Philadelphia area. Install, meter reading, resident billing, and compliance, all handled in-house since 1968.

Yes. Submetering is allowed in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, with some restrictions.

Water submetering runs under a state price cap rather than PUC licensing. Electric submetering is limited by the serving utility's PUC-approved tariff, which generally permits it only in buildings whose electric service was installed before 1980. 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.

Rules & compliance

Submetering rules & laws in Philadelphia County

Governing rule: 66 Pa.C.S. § 1313 price cap

Pennsylvania state rules

Owners who submeter water for their own residents serve a defined group of tenants, not the public, so they are not public utilities and need no PUC certificate (66 Pa.C.S. § 102; Drexelbrook Associates v. Pa. PUC, 418 Pa. 430 (1965))
Electric submetering and electric RUBS are generally not available in Pennsylvania. The serving utility's PUC-approved tariff controls, and most tariffs only permit submetering in buildings whose electric service was installed before 1980. NES checks your utility's tariff first
State law caps the charge: a resident's bill cannot exceed what the utility's own residential rate would produce for the same usage, even if the owner buys at a cheaper commercial rate (66 Pa.C.S. § 1313)
Pennsylvania sets no submeter accuracy standard by statute, but the price cap is applied per quantity used, so accurate meters and clear bills are what keep an owner compliant
Gas master-meter properties count as pipeline operators under Act 127, with PUC registration and pipeline-safety duties, confirmed by a January 2025 PUC order
Plus other PA PUC requirements that can apply, which NES tracks as they change

Local Philadelphia County requirements

Water and sewer service is provided by the Philadelphia Water Department, electricity by PECO, and natural gas by Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW)
An owner can submeter water and bill no more than the utility would charge the resident directly, and Pennsylvania's Utility Service Tenants Rights Act protects residents on a master Philadelphia Water Department bill if the account falls behind
We serve communities across Philadelphia, including Center City, South Philadelphia, North Philadelphia, and the Northeast
NES confirms the rules for your address before the first meter goes in.

How NES keeps you compliant

Tracks every Pennsylvania 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: Pennsylvania PUC · 66 Pa.C.S. § 1313 · Philadelphia Water Department: Tenants

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

Why owners across the Philadelphia 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 Pennsylvania cities

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

Free assessment

Get a free bid for your property

Tell us about your Philadelphia County 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