Metering
Meters installed on connection points
The quantity of water you consume is registered by a meter – counter or watermeter – installed on the connection point, in the connection manhole.
All readings of the meter installed on the connection point are the basis of the financial settlements between you and Compania AQUASERV. The meter can be installed on the connection point only by company employees.
Any interference on the meter is strictly forbidden, as it may severely affect, quantitatively and qualitatively, drinking water supply. In case the manhole is located on your property, you must maintain your meter’s integrity intact. Breaking the by-pass seal is only allowed in case of fire. In this case, you must request resealing of your meter within 24 hours. Otherwise, this action is considered an illegal supply of water (link Interrruption of services for illegal consumption). In case meters are installed on your property, you must ensure access (regardless they belong to you or to another consumer), in safe and clean conditions, to allow readings, integrity inspections or dismantling of meters for metrological inspections, including for water supply interruption.
Meter reading methods
Depending on the methods they display measured water quantity, water meters can be read directly or remote. You must take this into consideration when you wish to read the meter yourself, if you doubt the precision of readings performed by our employees, or if you have chosen for monthly submission of meter index.
Direct reading meters
The quantity of measured water is given by the readings of the rectangular scale, in full cubic meters. Displays on the circular scales are read the same as for remote reading meters. These scales indicate decimals and only serve for meter calibration. The red star indicates that water passes through the meter.
Example: measured quantity: 1713 cubic meters
Remote reading meters
The quantity of water measured is given by the displays on the rectangular scale, in full cubic meters and liters (after the coma). Unlike direct reading meters, these can be read remotely and belong to a superior precision class – R800.
Meter inspection on metrological due date
In order to ensure correct functioning of the meters installed on the connection point, they are inspected regularly. Metrological inspections are due every 5 years, according to the legislation in force, performed by care of S.C. Compania AQUASERV S.A., on test stands authorized and verified by the Romanian Legal Metrology Office.
Differences between meter readings
In case you live in a condominium such as a block of flats or shared yard, you may notice sometimes differences between the total water quantities recorded by individual meters installed inside apartaments, and the quantities recorded on the connection point.
These differences can be determined by:
-Precision class diferences: Meters installed on connection points are of B precision class, while apartment meters are of A precision class (cheaper, but less precise). An A precission class meter is designed and guaranteed by the manufacturer to start recording at 60l / hour, while a B precission class meter starts at 30l / hour (water losses through faulty packing seals of faucets or toilet bowls). Consequently, any apartment consumption under 60l / hour is not recorded on the inside meter, but it is recorded on the connection point meter.
-Simultaneous small losses: in the fortunate case in which apartment meters are of the same precision as the meter installed on the connection point, differences may appear as a result of simultaneous small losses, not recorded by meters inside apartments, but recorded by the main meters.
-Incorrect installation of apartment meters: Meters installed incorrectly – vertically, inclined or with the scale on the side, in the case of meters that only function in a horizontal position, with the scale directed upwards, will not indicate the entire quantity of water recorded by the main meter.
-Losses on the interior network: Some losses appear after the connection point meter, but before individual meters. Water losses on interior networks (buildings’ basements or shared yards) can be significat and undetectable to the naked eye (in case the water leaked flows into the sewerage or in the ground) and are recorded by the main meter.
-Reading of meters at different times: The main meter being read at a different time than the meter located inside the apartment may lead to differences between recorded quantitites.
-Abusive or unmetered consumption of some inhabitants: There are some inhabitants that intentionally alter the readings of the meter, or fail to observe the periodical metrological inspections, which is mandatory for their fine operation. Also, there is always the possibility that the mechanisms of the measurement devices will block, for various reasons.
In conclusion, one can state that measurement devices installed in apartments are orientative meters for sanitary items and do not represent an exact indicator of the consumpation in each apartment, thus cannot be the basis of any economical settlements between consumers and service suppliers.
