How Does a Water Meter Work?

How Does a Water Meter Work?

Water meters measure the volume of water flow through a pipe. This could be the main water supply pipe for an entire facility, or a sub zone, like a refrigeration process. They may measure this volume in cubic feet or gallons. Understanding how water meters work is an important part of water management, and it can help you detect water leaks, save water, and lower your water bill.

Mechanical water meters

Mechanical water meters are very common. When water passes through the water meter, it causes an impeller to rotate. Each water meter is calibrated to determine the flow rate based on this rotation. Mechanical water meters are highly accurate (though less accurate than other types of meters, like ultrasonic), but they degrade over time due to impurities in the water wearing down the moving parts of the meter.

Ultrasonic water meters

Ultrasonic water meters send a sound wave through your water to determine flow rate. Depending on your water, they may measure the “transit time” of the signal (how long it takes to get from one point to another) or “doppler shift” (the difference in the signal’s frequency).