Legal water bypass meter

9 years ago

My town has instituted a new sewer usage fee. It is based on my water usage as measured by my water company. The town has decided to allow people have a bypass meter of some type installed that will deduct water usage from outside faucets that are used for watering lawns and such, since that water is not processed by the towns sewers. The meters must be installed by a licensed plumber. My water company has used units available for 60.00 (I wonder if they were confiscated, lol). Owners are responsible upkeep and replacement if it fails, etc. This is new but I think we even have to call in our own meter readings so that it will be deducted from the water usage used to determine the fee. I have tried searching to find out what a new unit would cost, but as you can imagine, all I turn up is information about how illegal this is. I was also wondering about what it might cost to have it installed. I think plumbers rates locally are about 75.00/hr. Can anyone point me in the right direction in finding these units? I have two outside faucets, so I was also wondering if this means I will need two separate units.

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Comments (9)

klem1
9 years ago
Unless 100% of what you were told came to you directly from the water department,I strongly reccomend you get all the facts from them firsthand. There has to be much more involved than what you say. Alowing meters the water department has no control over is a dream come true for a cheat and they know it.
sue_ct
Original Author
9 years ago
I did get the information from them. It is actually called a "deduct water meter", not a bypass, which might or might not clear things up a little. It can't be unheard of if a licensed plumber can install it. Here is the link:
http://www.enfield-ct.gov/content/91/50777/50775.aspx

Here is a link that might be useful: Town policy on deduct water meters
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snoonyb
9 years ago
Interesting.
So, it's acceptable to discharge runoff containing lawn chemicals, which would occur anyway, as well as chlorine from your swimming pool into the storm drains, which through peculation, recirculate into the potable water system, as long as you have a separately metered supply, or, avail yourself of the arbitrary 7.5% reduction.

Obtain several estimates and do the deductions allowed for those specific months specified.

This will tell you how many years it will take for the cost to neutralize.
klem1
9 years ago
I still think it's a cruel joke on the town's citizens. You said" I have two outside faucets, so I was also wondering if this means I will need two separate units." Yes,if they alow multiple meters, otherwise it would require digging a ditch and burying pipe all the way around the house. Add plant damage,tunneling under driveway and hand digging around underground utilities. On new construction,MAYBE it would be practical to install the deduct meter. If you can get a plumber to give you a free estimate,do it then crunch the numbers to see what you will save. I think you will find it far more expensive than it's worth.
weedmeister
9 years ago
I think this would only be useful if you had a separate irrigation system or pool. Replumbing your outside faucets to get their source from a separate meter would be cost-prohibitive, IMO.
woodbutcher_ca
9 years ago
Hi Sue,
I believe you are in the east. I am In Ca. Sewer rates are set durning the winter when no watering is done. The rate applies every month, no meter needed. Maybe a letter or trip to council meetings is needed.
Good Luck Woodbutcher
kirkhall
9 years ago
I'm in Washington. They do similar here as what woodbutcher describes. Our sewer rates are based on "winter usage"...

Good luck!
sue_ct
Original Author
9 years ago
Well, I really don't have any personal control over how they do this. My first sewer bill was a partial one, but was only 2 weeks shorter than normal, and was only 20.00, so not at all concerned about the winter rates. The problem for me is that I have a lot of gardens, a small pond, a small water fountain that needs refilling, and lawn, and my water usage does go up significantly in the summer. If you pass a set point of water usage with the current fee structure, the fee doubles. Not on the amount of water you use over that point but from the first gallon. The quartarly bills mean that From June 16-Sept 15 is on one bill and that bill may go up to as much as 150.00 if I don't install a deduction meter. With the cost of a meter being 60.00, depending on the cost to install, it could well pay for itself in 1 or 2 years.

This post was edited by sue_ct on Tue, Jun 3, 14 at 14:54
jcalhoun
9 years ago
Most water systems have what is called an irrigation meter which is only used for water that does not go to a building. It's a normal meter but doesn't have a sewer fee applied since no household water goes through it.

I have never heard of a contractor or plumber installing these either. They are either tee'd off the current house service line of tapped at the water main.

Legal water bypass meter

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Legal water bypass meter

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