AWWA JAW70291

Secondary water systems deliver water that is of lower quality than drinking water, usually to supply outdoor irrigation needs. Secondary water sources include untreated mountain runoff and groundwater that is unsuitable for drinking. An increasing number of secondary systems are considering metering this water to encourage user conservation, because the lack of metering on these systems has been shown to lead to an increase in overall water use. This study compares different metering technologies, some of which require filtration to clean secondary water to a level sufficient for meters to perform well. The authors describe the costs, benefits, and disadvantages of various strategies for metering and associated filtration as well as the option of not metering. The article provides an approach to estimating the initial costs of metering per connection. Practices of secondary systems in Utah are discussed to provide perspective in making the decision of whether or not to meter, which usually focuses on economic feasibility. Includes 24 references, tables, figure.