Submetering, RUBS, and utility recovery explained.

Submetering measures each unit's real consumption with a physical meter, so every resident pays for exactly what they use. RUBS (a Ratio Utility Billing System) allocates the master-meter bill by a formula, typically unit square footage and occupancy, when metering isn't physically viable. RUBS can go live in about 30 days with no construction, and many owners start there and later migrate to submetering on the same NES contract.

Owners typically see 15 to 30% lower utility usage after submetering, because residents conserve once they're billed for their own consumption. On a typical multifamily community, the recovery and savings pay back the install cost in roughly 12 to 18 months, faster in regions with higher water rates.

Submetering and pass-through billing are legal in most states, but the rules vary by state and county: RUBS disclosure, PUC requirements, rate filings, and audit retention. NES tracks compliance in-house across every state we operate in, so your billing stays defensible. Our State Compliance Hub covers what's public, and a specialist can confirm the rules for your specific jurisdiction.

MyReads uses continuous meter reads to flag abnormal water use, like a running toilet or a hidden leak, so it gets fixed fast instead of running up the bill for weeks. Because a leaking toilet flapper is the #1 cause of a high water bill, catching it early protects both the resident's bill and the owner's water budget.

The three highest-impact fixes are: replace a leaking toilet flapper or fill valve (a food-dye test in the tank tells you if it's leaking), install a WaterSense low-flow showerhead (which can save a family up to ~2,700 gallons a year), and add a smart thermostat such as a Nest, ecobee, or Sensi to cut heating and cooling waste. Our Reduce Your Bills guide walks through each one.