Simple low-tech (and cost) in-line "residential" water meter?

SteamFTW

We live in a 4 -unit "condo" with only one water meter for the building. [Waiting for understandable laughter to die down…] Repiping the system to add 3 more municipal-grade meters (wireless, read-from-the-curb, etc.) is a non-starter, mostly because there are other expensive plumbing issues that ought to be addressed at the same time.

For ages, water consumption was so similar among us that there was really no reason to spend all that cash and split the lines. That ended when new tenants arrived a couple months ago who must be some form of humanoid fish. Those of us who (gosh) do not want to continue blindly paying 25% of the total need an inexpensive way to meter our units.

Most of the meters I have any experience with are overkill for this application, certainly when more than one is needed. Anyone have recommendations for something simple, which also won't compromise pressure/flow downstream?

Many thanks!!!

P.S. I assume there still aren't meters that can be installed with the counter facing down, as in installed in-line in a pipe running horizontal overhead (in the unfinished basement only, of course.)

hot_rod

plastic water meters are not too expensive, even quality brands

SteamFTW

Thank you! I briefly had hopes for the Master Meter "Flexible Axis Meter" … and then I found out you still can't have the counter anything but face-up. A little extra copper—or use a mirror!—puts this one in the running.

hot_rod

what will you do with the info you get from multiple meters?

ratio

There might be legal hurdles to using a meter for billing purposes.

JUGHNE

Our small town water dept. went to new meters. They had a pile of old "brass" meters that I latched onto a few of them to put on boilers.

Tested the flow accuracy by filling 5 gallons buckets. I believe they are accurate enough or just did not register.

How do you split up the hot water bill?

lkstdl

We use Baylan water meters, sold by ThermAtlantic https://thermatlantic.com/controls-metering/meters/

SteamFTW

@JUGHNE Separate gas meters for each unit. Each unit has its own gas boiler with indirect hot water. But that only meters gas consumption, not the water itself.