How do prepaid meters work? Why are they necessary?
Prepaid smart water meters use wireless connections to take remote readings. These readings can be taken at any time of the day and fed into an automated system. They collect time-stamped water consumption data, detect leaks, and alert to these leaks before significant waste occurs. Prepaid water meters work through tokens being loaded, similar to electricity, and deducted as it is used. Their real time data means that consumption is monitored and water leaks can be detected. Prepaid meters are necessary as a result of the City of Cape Town Water By-Law.
This step-by-step guide will help you understand how to read your water meter!
How does the Customer Interface Unit (CIU) works
The Customer Interface Unit (CIU) helps you manage your water usage and credit on your water meter. A CIU will refresh automatically every hour, or it can be manually refreshed by pressing the # button twice.
The CIU display shows 2 messages; these messages change every 10 seconds, with a conditional 3rd message. The CIU should be securely mounted inside your house against the closest wall to your water meter. Below is the information that a CIU displays.
The below table is an example of the messages on the CIU:
| 1 – Credit Status |
CrEdit CrEd LO No CrEd FrEE FrEE LO |
You are using your purchased credit Credit running low. Purchase more credit Credit finished. Meter closed You are using your Free Basic Water Free Basic Water is running low |
| 2 – Remaining Credit | 1.980m3 | 1m3 = 1kL = 1000 Litres of water |
| 3 – Notifications | LEAK LOCKEd BAtt LO Err XX |
Possible leak on property Consumer lock activated Meter battery low. Not CIU battery Error present. Report to Call Centre |
How to buy water and how to load prepaid water
Water meter credit tokens can be purchased from verified vendors. These have been verified by a water authority, municipality or managing agent. The 11 digit prepaid water meter number is presented to the vendor along with the amount of water needing to be purchased. The 20 digit water meter token number will be printed on the receipt from the vendor, this number should be entered into the CIU, it will respond with a message indicating if the token was accepted or not.
Below are some of the messages displayed by the CIU after a token is entered:
|
ACCEPT |
Loaded successfully, followed by the credit purchased in m3 |
Err xx |
Write down the error code and report to your nearest Call Centre |
|
INVALID |
Token entered incorrectly Re-try |
FULL |
Meter cannot take more credit |
|
USED |
Token already used |
OLD |
Token expired |
Prepaid water meters – frequently asked questions and troubleshooting
Common Frequently Asked Questions
How much water do I get for my credit?
The credit available on your meter is displayed in Cubic Meters (m3).
1m3 equals to 1kL or 1000Litres.
Example – ‘5.321 m3’, this means you have 5.321 kL or 5321 Litres of water.
If R10.00 is bought, the amount of water received is based on the water tariff, and monthly consumption pattern.
How much water do I use?
On the CIU, press #7# – this displays the amount of water used today.
#8# displays the amount of water used for the month.
#9# displays the amount of water used on average over the previous 3 months.
(Accurate after 3 months from installation)
#20# displays the amount of water used last month.
How do I know if I get Free Basic Water?
The CIU indicates which credit is being used. ‘Credit’ means purchased credit, and ‘Free’ means Free Basic Water. Press #1# to see how much of your paid credit is still available even though the CIU is showing “FREE.”
Troubleshooting
Meter not dispensing water
Check if the Water Tap icon is displayed on the CIU. If displayed, you have credit and the meter is open. If the Water Tap icon is not displayed, the meter may be locked or there is no credit on the meter. Check with neighbours, it may be possible that the whole area is without water.
No Credit on my meter
When the ‘No Cred’ message is displayed, the meter does not have credit and it is closed. More credit will need to be bought.
Token does not work
Make sure the prepaid number on the receipt is the same as the meter. A token allocated to another meter will not work. If the meter returns an error code when the token is entered,contact the Call Centre and relay the error code.
CIU is not switching on
Replace the batteries in the CIU. Typical CIU’s need AA size Alkaline (Penlight) battery.
If it still does not work, report to your nearest Call Centre.
CIU displays ‘FAILED’ message
CIU is unable to communicate with meter. Make sure there is no major obstruction between your meter and your CIU, for example a vehicle parked next to you meter. During installation, the best position for your CIU was selected for the best radio communication. If this problem persists, contact your Call Centre.
Water Utility Solutions
Prepaid water metering solutions prevent water wastage and allow for accurate water balancing. Water leaks are one of the most common reasons for an increase in water ‘usage’. A spike in water consumption could be an indication of a leak. Even a small water leak that leaks 1 litre per minute can waste 525 600 litres of water in a year if it is ignored over time.
Prepaid water metres are the greener option, helping to reduce consumption and preserve a valuable natural resource. The installation of prepaid water meters at Liberty Grande, a large residential apartment block, has allowed for the early detection of leaks. For example, if a tenant purchases more tokens in a given month, despite the consumption not increasing, this could indicate a leak. Prepaid water meters, integrated with proprietary billing software, allows Water Utility Solutions experts to investigate irregular token purchase patterns.
Find out more about the advantages of installing a Water Utility Solutions prepaid water meter. Our team oversees the installation and management of smart water meters in more than 50 buildings across Cape Town. Contact us for your prepaid metering solution!
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