Submetering Apartments in Pennsylvania
Last reviewed by NES Editorial · September 2026
NES submeters apartment communities across Pennsylvania end to end, with in-house installers, daily meter reads, and a bilingual billing team.
Pennsylvania treats owners who submeter water for their own residents as landlords, not public utilities, and the main billing rule is the price cap: residents pay no more than the utility would charge them directly (66 Pa.C.S. § 1313). 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, and gas master-meter properties carry PUC pipeline-safety registration under Act 127. NES handles that end to end in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Scranton, Reading, and beyond. Our compliance team tracks the requirements so your billing stays compliant.
Is submetering apartments 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.
Why apartment owners in Pennsylvania submeter
- Residents pay for what their unit uses, so water consumption usually drops 15 to 30 percent.
- Leaks get caught fast instead of showing up on the next month's bill.
- Common-area water is measured and billed accurately, not absorbed by the owner.
- Most apartment installs pay for themselves within 12 to 18 months.
What submetering is
Submetering puts a meter on each apartment and bills residents for the water, gas, and electric they actually use. The idea has been around since the 1920s. Today’s meters read wirelessly every day, so usage is accurate and leaks show up fast instead of on the next bill.
Apartment submetering rules in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania lets owners bill residents for the water they actually use, capped at what the utility's own residential rate would produce for the same usage (66 Pa.C.S. § 1313). 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, and gas master-meter properties carry extra PUC pipeline-safety duties. NES tracks the current requirements.
- 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 rules can vary by city and county, and some cities set their own requirements, which NES verifies for your exact address.
General information only, not legal advice. Confirm current rules with the PA PUC or a qualified attorney.
Cities NES submeters apartments in Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Allentown
- Erie
- Harrisburg
- Lancaster
- Scranton
- Reading
NES serves communities across Pennsylvania. If your city is not listed, we very likely cover it.
Properties NES submeters
- Apartment communities
- Condominiums
- Townhomes
- Mobile home parks
- Student housing
- New construction and existing properties
NES specializes in multifamily properties with 80 or more units.
Submetering apartments in Pennsylvania
See what your Pennsylvania apartments can recover.
Send us your master-meter bills and unit count. We’ll run the numbers on your actual property and reply within one business day with a clear, no-obligation estimate.