[[Image:meter icon.png|right|100px80px]]
[[Image:domestic water meter.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Domestic water meter. Drawing: WHO.]]
[[Image:standpipe meter.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A standpipe water meter that runs on hydropower. Photo: [http://www.tagmeter.com/index.php/de/water-meters Tagmeter.com]]]
[[Image:standpipe meter2.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A standpipe water meter in use. Photo: [http://www.tagmeter.com/index.php/de/water-meters Tagmeter.com]]]
[[Image:water meter urban.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Water meters in urban Manila, Philippines. Photo: [http://www.unesco-ihe.org/Education/MSc-Programmes/MSc-in-Urban-Water-and-Sanitation unesco-ihe.org.]]]
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Water meters, in combination with public standposts or domestic connections, provide the means to charge fees according to the volume of water delivered, and to regulate water use via tariffs. Water meters consist of a device to measure flow, and a protective housing with an inlet and an outlet. A strainer over the inlet keeps larger particles out of the system. There are many types of water meter, but for ordinary domestic or public standpipe use, turbine meters are most common. The vane wheel and the counting device of a water meter can be coupled magnetically or directly. Magnetic coupling has the advantage that the counting device can be completely sealed and no water, silt or algae will get in. A shut-off valve is normally installed on both sides of the meter to allow for servicing.
'''Flow range:''' 0.005–1.5 litres for domestic use.
===Suitable conditions===
'''Area of use:''' Piped public water distribution systems.
===Construction, operations and maintenance==='''Manufacturers:''' Biesinger; Bosco; Kent; Schlumberger; Spanner Pollux; Valmet; TagMeter, etc.
On a regular basis (e.g. every month), the water meter should be read by an appointed person who writes down the new meter count in a book. The difference between two readings of the same meter is the amount of water used, and consumers will be billed accordingly. The reader must check that the meter is in good condition and has not been tampered with. Meter counts can also serve to regulate consumption, by raising tariffs as more water is used. The fee for a meter reader increases the operational costs of
— some meter counters are more difficult to read than others, which can be a problem for both user and meter reader, and may require good skills on the part of the reader.
===Costs===
'''Initial cost:''' From US$ 10–25 or more, not including installation costs.
===Field experiences===The following projects utilize domestic water meters.
{|style="border: 2px solid #e0e0e0; width: 7060%; text-align: justify; background-color: #f5f5f5e9f5fd;" cellpadding="2"|- style="vertical-align: top" |[[Image:akvorsr logo_lite.png|center|60px|link=http://akvo.org/products/rsr 787/]]|- style="vertical-align: bottom"|[[Image:project 786.jpg|thumb|nonecenter|200px140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://rsr.akvo.org/project/786/ RSR Project 787786]<br>MWA-LAP: <br>Honduras</center></font>|link=http://wwwrsr.akvo.org/rsr/project/787786/]]|'''AKVO RSR Project[[Image:''' project 787.jpg |thumb|center|140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://wwwrsr.akvo.org/rsr/project/787/ RSR Project 787]<br>MWA-LAP: <br>Guatemala</center></font>|link=http://rsr.akvo.org/project/787/ ]]CARE will implement the program in Guatemala, concentrating activities in the Department of San Marcos which is in the Western Highlands of the country as can be seen in the accompanying map|[[Image:project 196.png |thumb|center|140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://rsr.akvo. This area is characterized by limited access to safe water – 40% of the rural population lack accessorg/project/196/ RSR Project 196]<br>Water for poor <br>areas: Villa Ocampo</center></font>|link=http://rsr. Access to improved sanitation facilities is similarly low -- 48% of the rural population lacks accessakvo.org/project/196/ ]]
|}
{|style="width: 70%; text-align: justify; background-color: #f5f5f5;" |[[Image:rsr 786.jpg|thumb|none|200px|<font size="2"><center>Project 786</center></font>|link=http://www.akvo.org/rsr/project/786/]]|'''AKVO RSR Project:''' [http://www.akvo.org/rsr/project/786/ MWA-LAP: Honduras]In Honduras, MWA member Water For People will be implementing the program in the municipality of San Antonio de Cortes. Consisting of 36 villages and 11 urban neighborhoods, the region has an area of 227 square kilometers with a population of 30,000.|} ==Manuals, videos, and links===
* Commercial: [http://www.tagmeter.com/index.php/de/water-meters Prepaid residential meter, domestic meter, household meter.] Tagmeter Systems
===Acknowledgements===
* Brikke, François, and Bredero, Maarten. [http://www.washdoc.info/docsearch/title/117705 Linking technology choice with operation and maintenance in the context of community water supply and sanitation: A reference document for planners and project staff]. World Health Organization and IRC Water and Sanitation Centre. Geneva, Switzerland 2003.