Case Study
Achieving Water Compliance & Fair Billing Through Sub-metering
The Challenge
The client required all owners to be billed for their actual consumption rather than based on participation quota (PQ) as this was more fair. As there were noted to be a fair amount of leaks on site, the Trustees requested that a monthly reconciliation be provided.
This reconciliation would show the amount recovered from the owners and thereafter the amount consumed by the entire corporate body in order to ensure that all amounts are accounted for .
The client required a cost-effective solution that did not prejudice their members and did not incur a huge cost.
What We Implemented
After an initial site visit, the WUS team proposed installing 277 analogue water meters across the estate. This option required little capital from the client. The analogue water meter readings would allow metering of all residential units and common area consumption areas.
Despite being the most effective solution, one drawback of having analogue water meters is that it only shows what is detected once the meter is read at the end of each month, and does not provide notifications of burst pipes or leaks. It also is not connected to the WaterEye App.
Our team engaged with the client to read all meters monthly, including the council water meter, to produce accurate billing for each unit. We also conducted a reconciliation report on the water consumption to ensure all water use was accounted for.
277 Analogue Water Meters
We installed 277 analogue water meters across the estate.
7 Year SLA
A Seven-year SLA for consistent estate water meter management reliability.
The Result
The body corporate is now recovering the water usage from each individual owner on a monthly basis and not via the participation quota. The estate is also compliant with the City of Cape Town Water By-Laws which requires each unit to be individually metered.
Owners also benefit, as they are now able to monitor their consumption monthly and the body corporate is notified of all leaks, and water loss via their monthly reconciliation.
Why This Matters to Property Managers and Body Corporates
This project delivers real value for the body corporates. Each owner receives accurate and transparent billing, paying only for their actual water use, and excessive consumption is correctly allocated to the responsible unit, rather than being unfairly shared across the estate.
The system also enables the early detection and quantification of leaks, allowing for timely maintenance and meaningful cost savings. Importantly, the estate is now fully compliant with the municipal water Bylaw requirements.
