Badger Meter (BMI) has created an online calculator tool that enables utilities to estimate revenue potential when using water meters that accurately capture readings at both high and low flow rates. The Low Flow Revenue Calculator helps utilities to compare a variety of common metering technologies. With 16% of all domestic water consumption occurring at flow rates of less than 1 gal per minute (gpm), if low flow is not accurately captured by the meter, the impact on a utility’s revenue may be significant. Utilities can access the Low Flow Revenue Calculator via the Badger Meter website at http://calculatelowflow.badgermeter.com/lowflowapp.htm.
Badger Meter developed the Low Flow Revenue Calculator using metering accuracy data for meters at ultra-low flow rates from a recent Water Research Foundation project that is summarized in the article “Apparent Losses Caused by Water Meter Inaccuracies at Ultralow Flows,” AWWA Journal, June 2010. According to the article, reducing the apparent losses caused by meter inaccuracies at low flows can result in substantial increases in utility revenue and lead to increasingly equitable service charges for water users in the long term. In addition, the article indicates that for meter sizes of ¾ in. and smaller, nutating disc meters have proven to be the most accurate type of meter in low-flow environments.
Utilities can easily determine how much revenue they could capture with nutating disc meters using the calculator. The utility simply enters meter size, unit of measure, billing units, average usage, water rate/billing unit, sewer rate/billing unit and number of services into the tool, along with the meter type or types to compare with the nutating disc. Then, they choose the number of years for which they wish to project revenue gains. The tool then displays the results.
Source: Badger Meter
