The Promise and Pitfalls of Precision Water Measurement

January 16, 2026

By Denis Koshelev

Water measurement is not something we actively think about. It’s something we leave to chance or habit, without a second thought, and that alone is the reason why we waste so much water. But change is not only needed, it’s already there: take ultrasonic and AI-powered systems. Rather than estimating, we should use precise analysis to completely re-evaluate how we manage our most valuable resource.

The Science of Sonic Measurement

Traditional mechanical water meters use moving internal components — such as nutating discs or multi-jet turbines — driven by the flow of water. Over time, these moving parts degrade due to wear, mineral buildup, and debris, resulting in reduced accuracy, especially at low flow rates. Ultrasonic meters, by contrast, measure flow by transmitting high-frequency sound waves through the water and comparing the transit times in upstream and downstream directions. This method eliminates moving parts and reduces many of the maintenance issues associated with mechanical meters. However, most residential ultrasonic meters are installed in-line and do have parts that contact water; they are not always entirely non-intrusive. (Karadirek, 2023; Arregui et al., 2020).

Compared to mechanical meters, ultrasonic meters are less susceptible to mechanical wear and typically maintain measurement stability longer, though they are not entirely maintenance-free — issues like battery life and electronic reliability persist, and heavy water fouling can still affect them. Their maximum permissible error is generally ±2% above a certain flow rate, as required by metering standards; ±1% accuracy may be achievable under optimal conditions in laboratory settings, but is not a guaranteed or universal specification. (Arregui et al., 2020).

The main technological leap is data sampling frequency. Where conventional meters log cumulative usage monthly or quarterly for billing, smart meters and high-resolution loggers can sample at intervals of seconds to minutes, capturing highly detailed profiles of water use. This granularity enables identification of typical fixture signatures — brief surges for toilets, sustained flows for showers, and prolonged or irregular usage patterns for leaks — when paired with end-use classification analytics. (Bastidas Pacheco et al., 2020; Gourmelon et al., 2021).

Such advances enable the shift from passive accounting to active monitoring, allowing abnormal usage or leaks to be detected in near-real time rather than across long billing cycles.

https://api-depositonce.tu-berlin.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/a63cd299-90ac-48a8-8d90-075f4e13790b/content

The chart comes from a study tracking how hundreds of households changed their water use over several years after getting smart-meter feedback. The researchers grouped households into different “behaviour patterns” depending on whether they saved water, went back to old habits, or even used more. Each small graph (a, b, c, d, e) represents one behaviour group.

The primary advantage of detailed water measurement is predictive leak detection capabilities. Acoustic sensors paired with machine learning algorithms analyze sound signatures within pipes to identify micro-leaks as small as a few drops per minute, long before they escalate into catastrophic failures. (Ullah et al., 2023). Traditional systems only register leaks after substantial water loss triggers a noticeable spike in monthly bills, by which point structural damage, mould growth, and insurance claims may already be inevitable. (Ullah et al., 2023; Rai et al., 2021; Rahman et al., n.d.; Boadu et al., 2024).

Clamp-on monitoring systems (like the ones developed by Orca Water, based in Vancouver, BC) provide instant traceability, pinpointing leak locations within specific units or segments of plumbing infrastructure, which enables targeted repairs without invasive exploratory demolition. (Liu et al., 2024). Financial implications of this capability are profound. A single leaky toilet can waste thousands of gallons annually, adding thousands of dollars to property water bills, depending on regional rates. (City of Daytona Beach, n.d.; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2025) High-resolution measurement creates accountability by isolating consumption to individual tenants, ensuring that those who conserve water are not subsidizing wasteful neighbours. This fairness principle drives behavioural change more effectively than any awareness campaign alone. (Carrillo et al., 2024) Still, fairness through submetering requires robust tenant protections and transparent billing — without these safeguards, the technology merely shifts financial burden rather than incentivizing conservation.

The transition will not be easy. While advanced water measurement systems deliver substantial benefits, they also introduce privacy concerns that warrant careful consideration. High-resolution water usage data collected at intervals as fine as one second can reveal intimate details about household activities and occupancy patterns. (Sustainability Directory, 2025) The cybersecurity dimension amplifies these concerns. Water meter databases containing detailed consumption patterns do represent attractive targets for data breaches. American Water Works Company, the largest water utility in the United States, “discovered ‘unauthorized activity’ in its computer networks and systems” on October 3, 2024, confirming a cybersecurity incident. (Tuptuk et al., 2021).

There’s also the question of the regulatory framework. Comprehensive water measurement systems operate within evolving regulatory landscapes that address data ownership, interoperability, and retention requirements. In Canada, Measurement Canada mandates that meter owners and suppliers maintain detailed records for verified revenue meters, ensuring accountability while protecting consumer interests. (Measurement Canada, 2020).

Internationally recognized standards like EN 62056 DLMS/COSEM and EN 13757 M-bus help with interoperability across metering systems, enabling seamless data exchange between devices, utilities, and analytics platforms. (Demerlé, 2023) Unlike electricity and gas, water meters in Canada are currently exempt from strict federal verification mandates, leaving a patchwork of provincial regulations to protect consumer interests. Canadian submetering regulations vary significantly by province, with no uniform national framework. (Canada Utility Management, 2025). Water metering specifically lacks unified federal standards for granular data retention and secondary uses. (Measurement Canada, 2021).

Conservation Through Economic Incentives

Metering fundamentally alters consumption patterns by introducing price signals that reflect actual usage. Canadian households with volume-based billing used 73% less water than unmetered households on flat-rate pricing, according to 2009 data, demonstrating that measurement combined with cost accountability creates powerful conservation incentives. (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 2021).

When residents can see their consumption through monitoring systems, they modify their behaviour. Research indicates that smart meter-based consumption feedback and digital user engagement can effectively promote durable conservation behaviours, with approximately 47% of participating households achieving a long-term 8% reduction in volumetric water consumption. (Cominola et al., 2021; Schmid, 2023).

https://www.ec.gc.ca/doc/publications/eau-water/COM1454/survey4-eng.htm

The data allows property managers to implement pricing structures that penalize excess usage while rewarding conservation. Progressive pricing structures that charge more for increased use create effective incentives for conservation.

Beyond individual behaviour, comprehensive metering enables utilities to optimize distribution networks by identifying systemic inefficiencies. High-frequency measurements reveal anomalies and unauthorized consumption that contribute to non-revenue water loss, allowing utilities to identify breaks and leaks for repair quickly.

Educational Impact and Social Transformation

Accurate measurement serves as an educational tool by making the invisible visible. When residents access data about their consumption patterns, they develop water literacy — understanding how daily activities translate into resource depletion. Public education programs that combine metering technology with behavioural coaching have demonstrated usage reductions of over 20%, as informed consumers voluntarily adopt conservation practices. (Ornaghi & Tonin, 2021).

This education extends to long-term sustainability awareness. With 57% of the global population projected to live in water-stressed regions within 50 years, creating a culture of measurement and conservation today builds resilience for future generations. When children grow up in homes with smart meters that display consumption feedback, they internalize conservation as a normal behaviour rather than a sacrifice. This cultural shift proves essential as climate change intensifies drought frequency and water scarcity drives costs upward. For example, Calgary’s average family water utility bill rose by over 78% from 2009 to 2018, and the cost of wastewater services in the city increased by more than 143% during that period. (Boretti & Rosa, 2019; Goulas et al., 2022; Bell, 2018).

Environmental and Economic Benefits of Reduced Consumption

Using less water generates cascading benefits across ecological and financial systems. Reduced withdrawal from rivers and aquifers preserves aquatic ecosystems, maintains groundwater tables, and protects biodiversity that depends on stable hydrological cycles. (Land & Peters, 2023) Lower consumption decreases energy usage for water pumping, treatment, and heating, reducing carbon emissions associated with water infrastructure. For municipalities, conservation delays or eliminates the need for costly capacity expansions — new reservoirs, treatment plants, and distribution mains that require billions in capital investment. (Spang et al., 2020)

At the property level, water efficiency directly correlates with financial performance. Multi-family buildings that implement submetering and leak detection systems achieve rapid return on investment through reduced utility bills, lower insurance premiums, and avoided repair costs. Commercial properties benefit from enhanced asset protection, as predictive monitoring prevents business disruptions caused by water damage. Hospitality sectors reduce operational expenses while marketing sustainability credentials to environmentally conscious guests, creating a competitive advantage through conservation. (Eddy Smart Home Solutions Ltd., 2023; Roiback & Bioscore Sustainability, 2025).

Despite compelling returns on investment, upfront financial barriers can limit access to these technologies. Basic water submeter hardware costs range from $30 to $200 per unit, with professional installation labour adding $200 to $500 per meter. (Schmid, n.d.). Total system costs, including materials, permits, and integration with billing systems, run even higher. This financial dynamic risks creating a system where well-capitalized properties capture conservation benefits while resource-constrained buildings continue inefficient practices, ultimately widening disparities in both operating costs and environmental impact. Addressing this gap may require utility rebate programs, financing mechanisms, or scaled installation models that reduce per-unit costs through volume deployment. (TrueSubmeter, 2024).

Also, landlords sometimes use submetering primarily to offload rising utility costs onto renters and circumvent rent increase limits. Tenants may face substantial administrative fees, lack of transparency in billing, or be presented with changed lease terms without a full understanding of the implications. That is where the “fairness” argument weakens a bit: it assumes tenants have agency and choice, when many have no option to refuse submetering in their building. (Chadwick, 2022).

The Future of Water Management

The convergence of ultrasonic measurement, artificial intelligence, and cloud-based analytics represents the future of water resource management. These technologies enable autonomous systems that not only detect leaks but also predict failures before they occur. As machine learning models ingest more high-resolution data, they will identify usage patterns that forecast conservation opportunities, customize educational messaging for individual households, and dynamically adjust pricing to balance supply and demand in real-time.

This transformation requires widespread adoption of accurate measurement as the foundational infrastructure. The benefits — equitable billing, leak prevention, conservation incentives, educational empowerment, and environmental protection — compound exponentially when entire communities commit to detailed water analytics. Technology exists today to implement these systems at scale, with non-intrusive installation minimizing barriers to adoption. The question is no longer whether we can measure water more accurately, but whether we will choose to value water appropriately before scarcity forces our hand.

References

Karadirek, İE. How does ageing of customer water meters effect the accuracy? Sigma J Eng Nat Sci 2023;41(2):408−414.
Arregui FJ, Pastor-Jabaloyes L, Mercedes AV, Gavara FJ. Accuracy of Solid-State Residential Water Meters under Intermittent Flow Conditions. Sensors (Basel). 2020 Sep 17;20(18):5339. doi: 10.3390/s20185339. PMID: 32957688; PMCID: PMC7570974.
Bastidas Pacheco CJ, Horsburgh JS, Tracy JR. A Low-Cost, Open Source Monitoring System for Collecting High Temporal Resolution Water Use Data on Magnetically Driven Residential Water Meters. Sensors (Basel). 2020 Jun 29;20(13):3655. doi: 10.3390/s20133655. PMID: 32610648; PMCID: PMC7374486.
Gourmelon, N.; Bayer, S.; Mayle, M.; Bach, G.; Bebber, C.; Munck, C.; Sosna, C.; Maier, A. Implications of Experiment Set-Ups for Residential Water End-Use Classification. Water 2021, 13, 236. https://doi.org/10.3390/w13020236
Ullah, N.; Ahmed, Z.; Kim, J.-M. Pipeline Leakage Detection Using Acoustic Emission and Machine Learning Algorithms. Sensors 2023, 23, 3226. https:// doi.org/10.3390/s23063226
Rai A, Ahmad Z, Hasan MJ, Kim JM. A Novel Pipeline Leak Detection Technique Based on Acoustic Emission Features and Two-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test. Sensors (Basel). 2021 Dec 10;21(24):8247. doi: 10.3390/s21248247. PMID: 34960342; PMCID: PMC8708146.
Rahman, Md Hafizur and Shahid, Ashhad and Haque, Tansu Sila and Gulzar, Muhammad Majid and Shafiullah, Md, A Comparative Analysis of Pipeline Leakage Detection Using Different Ml Techniques. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5230797 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5230797
Boadu, V., El-Zahab, S., & Zayed, T. (2024). Enhancing automated acoustic leak detection in a water distribution network using ensemble machine learning. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, 151(3). https://doi.org/10.1061/JWRMD5.WRENG-6578
Liu, R., Zayed, T., & Xiao, R. (2024). Advanced acoustic leak detection in water distribution networks using integrated generative model. Water Research, 254, 121434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2024.121434
City of Daytona Beach. (n.d.). Where does all that water go? Be a leak detector. [PDF]. Daytona Beach Government. https://www.daytonabeach.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10029/High-Consumption?bidId=
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2025, March 6). Residential toilets. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/watersense/residential-toilets
Carrillo, P. E., Contreras, I., & Scartascini, C. (2024). Turn off the faucet: Can individual meters reduce water consumption? Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 128, Article 103065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeem.2024.103065
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. (2021, December 2). Measurement Canada water meter consultation. Government of Canada. https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/measurement-canada/en/measurement-canada-water-meter-consultation
Cominola, A., Giuliani, M., Castelletti, A. et al. Long-term water conservation is fostered by smart meter-based feedback and digital user engagement. npj Clean Water 4, 29 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-021-00119-0
Schmid, J. (2023, April 24). Real-Time Water Monitoring: Advancing Sustainability. Dune Labs Blog. https://dunelabs.ai/2023/04/24/real-time-water-monitoring-advancing-sustainability/
Carmine Ornaghi, Mirco Tonin, The effects of the universal metering programme on water consumption, welfare and equity, Oxford Economic Papers, Volume 73, Issue 1, January 2021, Pages 399–422, https://doi.org/10.1093/oep/gpz068
Boretti, A., Rosa, L. Reassessing the projections of the World Water Development Report. npj Clean Water 2, 15 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-019-0039-9
Goulas A, Goodwin D, Shannon C, Jeffrey P and Smith HM (2022) Public Perceptions of Household IoT Smart Water “Event” Meters in the UK—Implications for Urban Water Governance. Front. Sustain. Cities 4:758078. doi: 10.3389/frsc.2022.758078
Bell, D. (2018, July 1). Calgary water rates have surged since 2009: Here’s the interactive graph you need to see. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-water-rates-increase-2009-to-2018-1.4723242
Emma Land & Chelsea N. Peters (2023) Groundwater impacts on stream biodiversity and communities: a review, Journal of Freshwater Ecology, 38:1, 2260801, DOI: 10.1080/02705060.2023.2260801
Edward S Spang et al 2020 Environ. Res. Lett. 15 114031
Eddy Smart Home Solutions Ltd. (2023, February 7). New study reveals innovative water protection systems significantly reduce losses from water damage claims in commercial real estate. Cision Canada. https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/new-study-reveals-innovative-water-protection-systems-significantly-reduce-losses-from-water-damage-claims-in-commercial-real-estate--825333430.html
Roiback & Bioscore Sustainability. (2025, March 18). Water management in the hospitality industry: Key to sustainability and competitiveness. Roiback. https://en.roiback.com/rb-academy/water-management-in-the-hotel-industry-key-to-sustainability-and-competitiveness
Sustainability Directory. (2025, October 10). Data privacy for AI-driven water management systems. Prism → Sustainability Directory. https://prism.sustainability-directory.com/scenario/data-privacy-for-ai-driven-water-management-systems/
Tuptuk, N.; Hazell, P.; Watson, J.; Hailes, S. A Systematic Review of the State of Cyber-Security in Water Systems. Water 2021, 13, 81. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13010081
Schmid, J. (n.d). How much does it cost to install a water submeter in 2024. Dune Labs. https://dunelabs.ai/2022/09/16/how-much-does-it-cost-to-install-a-water-sub-meter/
TrueSubmeter. (2024, February). Submetering statistics. https://truesubmeter.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Submetering-Statistics.pdf
Chadwick, J. (2022, March 31). The city provides water. These tenants want to know why they’re paying a private company for it. The Discourse. https://thediscourse.ca/vancouver-island/water-sub-metering
Measurement Canada. (2020, February 5). Information on the attribution and use of revenue meters under the Electricity and Gas Inspection Act. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/measurement-canada/en/laws-and-requirements/information-attribution-and-use-revenue-meters-under-electricity-and-gas-inspection-act
Demerlé, R. (2023, July 18). Interoperability of smart metering data with use of standards is the new rule in European Union. In Semtech blog. Semtech Corporation. https://blog.semtech.com/interoperability-of-smart-metering-data-with-use-of-standards-is-the-new-rule-in-european-union
Canada Utility Management. (2025). Alberta submetering. In Canada utility management. https://canadautility.ca/alberta-submetering/
Measurement Canada. (2021, December 2). Measurement Canada water meter consultation—Introduction. Government of Canada. https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/measurement-canada/en/consultations/measurement-canada-water-meter-consultation-introduction