Tag: Water meters

As the popular saying goes, ‘’water is life’’, hence it becomes imperative for water consumers to properly manage every drop of water that they come across on a daily basis. One of the best ways that water consumers can manage water efficiently is through prepaid water meters. Not only will the meter help them efficiently manage their water, but it also offers an excellent billing system that allows users to track and monitor their water usage in real time. With prepaid water meters, property managers, developers, and landlords can conveniently manage their water consumption from their comfort zone. This is possible because the meter offers real-time monitoring features, which will enable you to know the amount of water you used. There is no surprise outrageous water bill, as seen in the traditional billing system. However, to be able to use the prepaid water meters, you will need to buy the prepaid water token, load it into your meter’s user interface unit and the water management device (WMD) will then allow the inflow of water to your facility. The amount of water that will flow into your facility is totally dependent on the amount of water token that you purchased. The higher the token you bought, the higher the amount of water that will flow into your property. What Are Prepaid Water Meters? Prepaid water meters, also called smart water meters, are special electronic devices that allow consumers to pay for water in advance. It has a similar operating principle to the prepaid electric meter. It is designed so that users can purchase a certain amount of credit, which is then loaded onto their water meter. As they continue to use water, the meter will gradually deduct the corresponding amount from the prepaid balance. The deduction will continue until the credit is exhausted; once the credit is exhausted, the water supply will stop until you buy more credit for your meter. If you have used prepaid electric meters before, you won’t have issues using water meters because they function in similar ways. Read also: Citiq prepaid meters Why use prepaid water meters? There are numerous reasons why you need a prepaid water meter. Some of the reasons are outlined below: The meter will help you conserve water. It helps cut water bills, unlike estimated billing system that may be costly. The meter will give you full access to controlling your water through real-time monitoring. It helps reduce water wastages Basic Components of Prepaid Water Meter Setup Prepaid water meter setups have different components that work together to ensure that you get the best water billing. The major components of the setup include: 1. Water Meter This is usually a Sensus SABS or Elster-approved volumetric meter that has a pulse output. It is common in South African metropolitan areas. 2. Water Management Device (WMD) This is the device that is linked to a water meter through a pulse reader. Its function is to record the exact amount of water that flows through the meter. It works on the principle of recording water flow on a digital display, and the solenoid opens and closes to allow water to flow once there is sufficient credit. 3. Keypad The keypad connects to the WMD wirelessly. The water tokens or vouchers are entered into the keypad; not only that, users can also track their water consumption through it by checking their credit balance. 4. Display Interface The display meter’s display allows users to check their remaining credit and water usage. It is the screen where you can see how far you have used your credit and the remaining credit. How Prepaid Water Meters Work Prepaid water meters work on the principle of ‘’pay-as-you-go’’. The meter allows consumers to pay for water in advance. It allows water consumers to buy water credit (prepaid water tokens) in the same way that prepaid electricity tokens are purchased. After buying the tokens, you will need to input them into your User Interface Unit (UIU) that is located in your house. Once entered, the token will signal and direct the water management device to allow a certain amount of water to flow through the meter. The higher the amount of token you purchased, the higher the amount of water that will inflow into your property and vice-versa. With this measure, as a prepaid water meter user, you will be able to determine the amount of water that you want to use over a certain period of time and pay for it upfront. This will give you control over your water usage and help you to know the exact amount of money that you spend on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis for water, hence ensuring transparency. Conclusion Prepaid meters are modern metering device that is used to measure water consumption within a specific household. The meter works on the pay-as-you-go model, allowing water user to pay for their usage in advance. This meter is amazing and it help users to manage their water usage efficiently.