| Point of Use (POU) meters are designed to provide a | | | | less than a year. When deciding on a POU meter, a |
| submetering solution for those properties that cannot | | | | principal consideration should be that the meters can |
| be submetered by conventional submeters due to | | | | be read by any Automated Reading System (AMR). |
| plumbing designs that bring multiple pipes into the | | | | This allows the property owner to choose between |
| apartment or office (stacked risers). The meters | | | | many billing companies and does not tie the owner to |
| were specifically designed for stacked riser plumbing | | | | equipment that can only be read by a few |
| configurations typically found in properties that utilize | | | | companies. |
| a central boiler to provide hot water. | | | | Submetering has been proven by numerous studies |
| In a typical installation very small flow meters are | | | | to reduce usage by as much as 39%. Although POU |
| installed inconspicuously on each hot & cold | | | | meters have been available for over ten years they |
| outlet to the shower/tub, toilet, sink, dish washer and | | | | have not been widely used until recently. With the |
| clothes washer. Depending on the manufacturer the | | | | current interest in green solutions and the ever rising |
| flow meters either have a transmitter built in or are | | | | water and sewer costs properties that in the past |
| connected to an interface board/ transmitter. The | | | | could not be traditionally metered are now installing |
| transmitters report usage information to a central | | | | POU meters and benefitting from the same type of |
| Processing computer that in turn forwards the usage | | | | usage reductions that properties with conventional |
| information to a billing center where bills can be | | | | plumbing have realized for years. Since roughly 50% |
| printed and sent to the end user. | | | | of apartments and 90% of office buildings utilize |
| Equipment and installation costs are typically higher | | | | stacked riser plumbing the benefits of submetering |
| that traditional systems but the payback is still usually | | | | with POU meters have barely been touched. |