The state of domestic water meter management

High levels of non-revenue water (NRW) are a major challenge for municipalities and utilities worldwide, with estimates of NRW in South Africa having increased from 34.6% in 2013/14 to 41% in 2015/16 (Department of Water and Sanitation, 2017). Aligned to NRW is the aspect of good meter management as it impacts both the revenue collections as well providing a good record of water supplied and water utilised. A Water Research Commission (WRC)-funded study found that based on initial weighted accuracy of new meters assessed in South Africa, which is a first for South Africa and the African continent, the average accuracy of water meters in South Africa was determined to be 95.5% and is indicative of minimum apparent loss levels for a brand new meter. Current guidelines on possible apparent water losses need to be revised to reflect that a 4.5% initial apparent loss error is likely to be the best possible figure assuming an equal spread of the meters tested. This average error translates to a financial loss of R2.32 billion per annum lost from new meters in the municipal sector, assuming a retail water cost of R12/kl. Such losses will invariably be more for each year that meters remain in service and that alone should spur the sector to manage meters better.