Water Meter

ELEMENT:

Kent Water meter

AIM:

The water managment strategy of the Healthy Home incorporates rainwater tanks to reduce its demand for external reticulated mains water. However, mains water is still required for times of low rainfall.

A number of water meters have been placed around the Healthy Home to monitor the the water used in various locations around the home. There is a water meter at the front fence, like those used in all Gold Coast homes, one attached to the large rainwater tank under the house and a series of meters, sixteen in total, placed on water pipes about the house.

The water meters situated at various locations around the Healthy Home give information about the water consumption patterns of the Healthy Home residents; indoor versus outdoor use, hot water versus cold water use and where the water use is greatest; toilet, laundry, kitchen or shower. The water meters are a combination of mechnical registers (these look like the odometer in a car), and digital meters that can send electric pulses to dataloggers.

The measurements taken by the water meters can assist in indentifying areas or further water savings, and areas where potable water (water fit for drinking) could be replaced by non-potable water, for example, flushing the toilet. Even in dry years of little rain, the Healthy Home was able source almost one third of its water from rainfall.

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