Rules for replacing and checking water meters

How often to change?

There are three deadlines associated with water meters. This is the time of their service, guarantees for them and their verification. The service life of flow meters is set by their manufacturers.
Technical documentation determines that the average service time is 12 years.

This period is indicated in the meter’s passport and applies to vane devices. Other types of water meters may have a longer service life.

Manufacturers also set a warranty period for devices. It is also recorded in the water meter passport. The warranty is 30 months. The moment of its counting is the day the flow meter is put into operation.
Important! The maximum warranty for water meters does not exceed 36 months, starting from the date of their initial verification.
This condition is also stated in the device passport. The technical documentation establishes another time period associated with the operation of water meters. This is the calibration interval. It is the same for cold and hot water meters. Their verification should be carried out every 6 years.

The truth about the timing of replacement of water meters

We will share verified information not only with this customer, but also with all visitors to the site doservis.ru. There is no deadline for replacing water meters. If someone calls you and demands to replace the meter, they are scammers. They can be represented by Vodokanal, EIRC, MFC, EPRST and even Vladimir Putin - the essence does not change. Persons who mislead with false information are deceivers and must be treated accordingly.

Why is the demand to change the water meter a scam for money? Let's figure it out. What kind of numbers does the counter have related to deadlines? If you look at the technical data sheet, you can find information about such characteristics as:

• Guarantee. The period during which the manufacturer undertakes to repair or replace a device that has broken down through no fault of yours free of charge.
• Intervalidation interval. Indicates how often verification should be carried out.
• Lifetime. Average life expectancy of the device. Indicated in GOST, in fact it does not affect anything. You can completely ignore this indicator.

As you can see, there is no specified replacement period for the hot water meter anywhere. And at the cold water meter too. Such a concept simply does not exist, as we have now become convinced of.

Therefore, if someone calls and says that, for example, the deadline for replacing your cold water meter has come, this is a lie. No one can decide when it's time to change your water meter but you. By the way, how can you determine when it’s time to change the meter?

• External damage. If cracks or chips appear on the device, it is better to install a new one.
• Leak. This is a serious problem, because you can flood your neighbors or your own apartment. Immediately turn off the water and wait for the technician.
• Water consumption is not written off. Are you pouring water, but the flow rate on the meter does not change? It is better to replace it, otherwise problems may arise with the management company, which may think that you stopped the device with a magnet.
• Old water meter. If the device is many years old, there is a risk that it will not pass the next verification. It may be more profitable to install a new device.

Related article: Types of meters

If none of the above happened, you do not need to change the water meter. It is enough to carry out the verification within the prescribed time frame. And remember that all those calling and offering to install, repair, or change something are commercial organizations. They may be named as much like government agencies as you like, but they are private companies calling to make money from you. Therefore, filter and check everything said by representatives of such companies.

The interval for changing the device according to the law

Clause 81(10) of the Government Decree dated May 6, 2011, number 354, states that the operating conditions and reinstallation of water meters are fixed in the technical documentation .

The same paragraph of the Resolution states that verification of metering devices is carried out on the basis of the Law of June 26, 2008 under number 102-FZ.

These acts contain only general information about the operation and verification of flow meters.

Specific time periods regarding the use of water meters, guarantees for them and their verification are established by technical documentation.

More often, instead of a time limit for reinstalling flow meters, a period of their mandatory verification is implied. Consumers need to ensure compliance with the calibration interval.

However, there is no set deadline for reinstalling the accounting device. It needs to be changed only in cases where it has not passed the verification procedure or has failed for a number of reasons.

Laws governing the installation of water meters

Responsibility for accounting for resource consumption is defined in paragraph 9 of Article 11 of Federal Law No. 261 of November 23, 2009. They are required to equip water supply systems with IPU. Apartment owners do this at their own expense; in municipal housing, water meters are installed at the expense of the local budget.

Six months later, the Ministry of Energy issued Order No. 178 of April 16, 2010, obliging all residents to install metering units by January 1, 2012. Those people who have money problems were given a five-year deferment. They had to deliver the IPU by January 1, 2020.

From this date, another regulatory document came into force: Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 344 of April 16, 2013. When paying for water supply, tariff coefficients began to be introduced. This applied to those owners who did not install metering units. This is a kind of punishment for persons who do not comply with the requirements of the law - stimulation of strict control.

The legislation determines who should check the IPU; these can be LLCs, individual entrepreneurs having:

• necessary equipment;
• specialists trained at the Metrology Center;
• metrological service accreditation.

Only representatives of these companies have the right to make a mark in the technical passport: a number stamp is imprinted. The procedure for checking accounting mechanisms and the time frame within which this must be done are also strictly regulated - 3 months.

There are 2 seals attached to water meters: 1 on the dial cover; 2 on the American one, which connects to the pipe.

Federal Law No. 102 dated June 26, 2008

The law was created to protect the rights of citizens and resource supply organizations. It states:

• mandatory verification of all meters, including water meters;
• their frequency.

It regulates the metrological system at the country level.

• technical requirements: it is allowed to install water meter models included in the State Register of Measuring Instruments, which can be verified in laboratories of various forms of ownership accredited by the Russian Federation;
• rights of inspectors: they must have open access to the water supply system, metering units and documents.

Federal Law No. 261 of November 23, 2009

The law obliges all owners to equip their housing with an IPU. This measure is provided for everyone, regardless of whether people live in their apartment or it is empty. The current version of the Federal Law dated December 29, 2014 has been amended to take into account not only the electricity consumed by residents, but also water resources supplied from central cold and hot water supply systems. At the regional level, authorities can issue additional regulations that specify the procedure for installing meters and the frequency of their verification. When there are no regional laws, they are guided by federal legislation. The Legal Act “On Energy Saving” establishes:

• resource accounting;
• obligatory conclusion of an agreement with a resource supplying organization;
• timing of verification of accounting equipment.

Government Decree of the Russian Federation No. 354 of May 6, 2011

This document is called the rules for paying for utilities. It sets out the principles of the relationship between supplier and consumer:

• the mechanism for concluding the contract is specified;
• the rights and obligations of the parties are specified;
• service providers are held accountable for quality;
• the system of calculations for water consumption is indicated according to meter readings and without it;
• features of recalculations, in what cases they are needed;
• responsibilities of owners who do not live but are registered in the premises;
• grounds for suspending or restricting water supply.

Related article: How to calculate water meters

The moment from which the countdown begins

The warranty always starts from the date the flow meter is put into service. This is indicated both in GOST R 50601-93 (clause 11.2) and in the technical data sheet of the device.

If the technical documentation does not contain the date when the device was put into operation, then the warranty for it starts from the moment of its initial verification .

The period of operation of the water meter begins from the day it was released. This is confirmed by its initial verification. It is from this moment that the verification interval begins. The date of initial verification must be indicated on the device data sheet.

Recommended frequency of replacement of cold and hot water meters

The specific moment when an old water meter needs to be replaced with a new one is not defined.

It all depends on the quality of the device and the water that will pass through it.

DHW meters need to be replaced more frequently than cold water meters. Hot water destroys them faster, and they cannot always last 12 years.

Cold water meters can last more than 12 years, provided the water quality is good and they are used correctly. Therefore, there is no fixed deadline for reinstalling devices . It all depends on a number of factors.

Note! It is important to promptly invite a specialist to check the devices. It is recommended to monitor the operation of DHW meters more often. It is necessary to be more guided by the guarantee and the verification period.

Early failure of devices

It is necessary to reinstall the old flow meter with a new one earlier than the warranty and calibration interval in the following cases:

• improper installation of the device;
• improper operation;
• violation of the integrity of the flow meter body;
• poor water quality;
• fixing the meter to a clogged pipeline;
• carrying out welding work on the pipe where the device was previously fixed;
• lack of a flow filter in front of the flow meter;
• increased pressure and temperature of water in pipes.

Often the reason for early replacement of water meters is their improper transportation. also negatively affects the service life of devices .

Possible consequences of failure to meet deadlines

If the consumer does not replace the meter due to its breakdown, then the main consequence for him will be a subsequent increase in payments for water.

Clause 81(13) of the Resolution number 354 states that the consumer must immediately notify the management company of the need to reinstall the metering device . At the same time, he is obliged to transmit readings from the flow meter as of the date of its breakdown.

Important! The water meter must be replaced within 30 days from the moment the device fails. The water meter must be replaced by a specialist from the management company himself or in his presence.

According to the requirements of paragraph 59 of Resolution No. 354, for the period of unaccounted resource consumption, the fee is charged to the consumer based on the average consumption value . It is calculated from the moment when the water meter fails, and if this moment cannot be established, then from the date when the billing period began.

The consumer will pay for water according to the average volume of consumption over 3 months. Upon completion, payments for the resource will begin to accrue according to consumption standards. In this case, the increasing coefficient will be additionally taken into account. This is indicated in paragraph 42 of the Resolution under number 354.

As a result, the consumer may accumulate large amounts of debt . If they replace the water meter, the billing center will recalculate for the entire period of unaccounted resource consumption. The consequence of this will be the formation of a debt that the consumer will be obliged to pay.

How do they check?

For each type of measuring instruments, its own methodology is used, regulated by Order of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation dated July 2, 2015 No. 1815 and clause 1 of Art. 12 of Law No. 102-FZ .

a representative of the water utility has the right to remove the water meter , after which the device is handed over to an enterprise accredited for inspection .

We advise you to read the article about who is entitled to a subsidy when paying for housing and communal services here.

Replacement procedure

When the user damages the seals , violates the integrity of the casing , or when other problems , the water utility service department notified .

At the same time , recording and transmitting the readings of the water meter on the date of its failure.

As stated in clause 81(13) of PP No. 824 , the owner has 30 days to fix the problem by calling a representative of the water utility .

The specialist will make a verdict on the need for repair or replacement , and if necessary, dismantle the device.

If the water meter is found unsuitable , a notice .

After replacing the metering device, it must be put into operation following the instructions in clauses 81–81(9) of PP No. 824 .

They instruct the apartment owner to submit an application to call a representative of the water utility to install a new water meter in place and seal it with of an installation and commissioning certificate

Verification methods

When performing verification , specialists run a certain amount of water through the water meter in different modes, under different pressures.

This can be done in various ways : with preliminary dismantling or directly on site, without removing the water meter.

The first method involves carrying out a test procedure in a laboratory , under stationary conditions, and then installing the device in place.

The second is the use of mobile equipment directly in the apartment .

The method does not affect the verification results in any way.

In addition to the correctness of the readings, the water meter is also checked by the following operations (GOST 8.156-83):

1. external inspection;
2. make sure it is tight;
3. check the relative error.

The diameter of the pipes during verification, water pressure and its flow are regulated by GOST 8.156-83 , depending on the type of water meter and its modification.

results

Based on the test results a report , verification marks directly to the device or, if this is technically impossible, a verification certificate .

The documents always contain the date of the test and the validity period of the device .

The results are valid only during the inter-test period. Once the verification period has expired, it is necessary to carry out the procedure again.