Water Submeter Installation
Last reviewed September 2026NES Editorial, checked by the Billing & Compliance team
Here is how water submeters get installed at an apartment community, start to finish.
How does water submeter installation work?
Water submeter installation puts a meter on each unit's water line so residents can be billed for the water they actually use. For most apartment communities the work is done one unit at a time with little disruption, and NES handles every step. It runs in five stages: a site survey to map the plumbing, a meter plan with permits, the installation by licensed plumbers, testing and activation, then reading and billing. Each meter takes under 30 minutes to fit, water is off only for a few of those minutes, and no one needs to move out. A typical mid-size community is fully installed within a few weeks, depending on unit count and access. NES installs nonproprietary meters that you own, reads them daily, and most installs pay for themselves in 12 to 18 months because metered residents use less.
The five steps
- Site survey to map the plumbing and flag shared or branched lines
- Meter plan and any city permits, scheduled around residents
- Installation by licensed plumbers, usually at the water heater or shutoff
- Testing and activation of every meter before billing starts
- Daily wireless reads and monthly resident billing from then on
What the owner has to do
Very little. The owner provides access and approves the plan, and NES handles the survey, permits, plumbing, testing, reading, and resident billing. Because NES does the work in-house instead of handing it to a subcontractor, the same team that installs the meters also reads them and supports residents. The meters carry a warranty under NES Meter Care.
Related questions
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