The family or corporate budget almost always includes an item of expenditure such as payment for water on the meter. Moscow, St. Petersburg, another millionaire city or a provincial settlement, it does not matter - most citizens have meters. There are a large number of types of meters, as well as technological solutions that underlie the operation of these devices. There are many nuances of installing and replacing devices.
The historical path of these units is interesting, the facts about how and by whom the water meters were invented. Payment via the Internet of receipts for housing and communal services, the use of auto payments via credit card, all kinds of mobile applications for accounting for utility bills are the usual trends of our time. But it is not at all interesting to look into the details of the appearance of equally familiar devices in the face of counters in historical retrospective.
Counters are quite simple to install. From the point of view of the law, they can be installed independently, but in practice, many organizations responsible for registering devices refuse owners of apartments who installed the meter on their own. What are the reasons for this behavior of these structures? And in general, how profitable is it to put water meters?
Counter: what is this device
A special meter helps to accurately measure the amount of water consumed by residents of an apartment or house. It is known that the tariffing of utilities can go according to the standard or upon the calculation of the volume of water, light or gas that are received by the consumer. Meters give homeowners the opportunity to optimize water consumption and thereby save: in many cases, utility calculation formulas that are tied to the norm make using the water supply system less profitable than when charging based on meter readings.
Installation of water consumption meters is especially beneficial if a lot of people are registered in the apartment. The norm in this case will be multiplied by their number. Even if a registered person does not live on the living space, then water charges will still be charged.
In addition, the standard may include the amount of utilities that is much larger than the average resident spends. It is usually economically feasible to pay for water by meters.
Using such a device involves several nuances. Firstly, the taking of readings from the counters, as well as their transfer to the housing and communal services, the apartment owners must carry out independently. Secondly, artificial introduction of changes in indications is not allowed. Thirdly, it is important to transfer the numbers from the meters on time: if this is not done, then the service company has the right to charge the amount for water in accordance with the standards (and this can be very unprofitable). As a rule, two metering devices are installed in apartments: a hot water meter and a similar device for cold water. An exception may be the case when there is a water heater in the apartment. In this case, only payment for cold water takes place - with or without a meter.
History of the appearance of water meters
There is historical evidence that the first prototype of a water meter appeared in the Middle Ages. Encyclopedic sources say that the monks of one of the monasteries in Lombardy sold surplus water used for irrigation of meadows. To measure its amount, water meters were used in the form of structures with a hole of several centimeters, through which one milano ounce of water flowed over a certain amount of time and at a constant pressure.
In a more or less modern form, a water meter appeared in the 19th century, thanks to the efforts of the German inventor Karl Wilhelm Siemens. The device was mechanical. He worked like a water mill in miniature. The impeller was present in it - an element that allows you to receive streams of water on the blades and transmit rotation to the counting mechanism, and then to the dial. In a few years, the device constructed by the scientist gained popularity in Germany, and after some time its modifications came to Russia.
Features of hot water charging
Hot water supplies in Russia can be carried out in two ways. The first is through the so-called "closed water supply systems." The cost of water is determined by the supplier company, based on the uniformity of the tariff. As an alternative, there are "open" systems: in them the cost of a cubic meter of water for a consumer consists of two components: the price of cold water and the price of the so-called coolant.
Regarding this tariff system in different cities of the country, the rules can vary greatly. But in many sources it is believed that the prices for hot water in open systems are significantly lower than in closed ones. So the use of counters in them is especially relevant and even saves more.
Tariffing of hot water in Moscow
Let's see what is the current tariffication of the most expensive type of water - hot - when using meters for Moscow residents in 2014 (using the example of prices approved by JSC "MOEK"). Take the option for closed networks. The tariff for residents of the capital (individuals) is 126.93 rubles per cubic meter of coolant until July 1, 2014 and 127.57 units of the Russian currency after. There is evidence that prices from November will jump to 135.79 rubles per cubic meter. However, there is a subsidy - from July 1 to November 1, it will amount to 21.05 rubles.
Principles of determining the price of cold water
The cheapest cost to the consumer is cold water. It is used for a huge number of household needs. Based on what factors are formed the tariffs for cold water in Russia? First of all, this is the cost of obtaining it. Before water enters the faucet, it flows in the water supply, and even earlier undergoes the stage of complex treatment after it is received from a river or reservoir.
It is worth noting that the supply of cold water, in accordance with Russian laws, is not a type of business (despite the fact that city water utilities are sometimes private organizations), and final tariffs for consumers are set at the level of the municipal authorities (and in some cases, federal authorities are connected to this). The cost, in addition to technological processes, includes the remuneration of employees of city water utilities, depreciation costs, electricity costs and other consumed resources. The amount for the drainage is almost always added to the bill for payment for cold water.
How much is cold water in Moscow
Let’s see what tariffs for cold water were set in 2014 in the Russian capital based on the prices set by Mosvodokanal OJSC. In 2014, two periods were established in which different tariffs apply - until July 1 and after. In the first half of the year, cold water cost Muscovites 28 rubles 40 kopecks per cubic meter (plus 20.15 for water disposal). From November 1, prices will noticeably increase. For one cubic meter of cold water, residents of the capital will pay 29 rubles 19 kopecks (and 20.69 for drainage). It is important to know that these tariffs do not include the possible commission that banks charge when they pay for water meter readings in favor of suppliers.
How much is cold water in foreign countries
A study by one of the largest Russian marketing firms showed that Moscow cold water tariffs are not the most expensive, but not the cheapest in the world. For comparison: residents of some Danish cities are forced to pay about $ 10 (with sanitation) for 1 cubic meter of water. At the same time, water can cost citizens of Turkmenistan completely free of charge, provided that it is consumed by no more than 250 liters per day. Among the countries with the most expensive water are Belgium, Norway, Germany (there the prices are about 6-7 dollars per cubic meter, including water disposal). Very cheap water in Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, in Cuba. A cubic meter is worth a few cents.
How can I pay for water
There are many ways to pay for water and other utilities (as a rule, all payments are made in one receipt from the HOA or the management company). Among the traditional ones - going to the bank and paying “out the window” to the cashier. It is possible to do the same using bank terminals (if necessary, a credit institution consultant will help to do this). Another option is to use an analog of these devices from specialized payment systems (QIWI, City system, etc.). Both of these options are good in the absence of a queue. However, not in all cases, the database of payment providers contains the right HOA or management company - this is the factor that keeps many Russians from paying by these methods.
Many Russians find it convenient to use an innovative method that allows them to pay for water by meters, as well as other utilities - online banking. True, it must be connected as part of a separate procedure and be able to use this tool correctly. One of the indisputable advantages of this method is that in the database of the bank with high probability there is any HOA or UK of the city. Convenience is also that all receipts are stored electronically. Along with online banking, electronic wallets of payment systems are often used (the same QIWI, Yandex.Money, etc.). But they are characterized by disadvantages inherent in payment terminals. There are also specialized online services that allow you to pay for water by meters, as well as many other services by VISA or MasterCard.
Installation Nuances
It is undesirable for the homeowner to install the meter. This should be done by specialists. You can find them by contacting the housing and utilities company or an organization whose main activity is the installation of meters. The kit required for the correct installation of water meters usually includes the following plumbing materials. This is a pair of ball valves with thread (external, internal), two coarse water filters, the actual hot water meter and its counterpart for cold water. Two so-called non-return valves are also needed (they do not allow the meters to rewind). After installing the meters on the pipes, specialists from the city water supply channel should come. They put seals on metering devices, thereby legalizing their use.
The need to contact specialists is largely due to the fact that when installing meters, sometimes you have to temporarily turn off some public utilities related to other apartments. Starting from the moment of justification of inconveniences for neighbors and ending with the correct shutdown of the systems in question, an experienced specialist will better manage the installation of meters.
Replacement Nuances
A water meter, like any other mechanism, can fail due to many reasons. It will need to be replaced. Doing it yourself, as in the case of installation, is not recommended. There are cases when the landlord performed all the technical procedures flawlessly, but in the city waterway he was denied sealing devices, citing an unprofessional installation.
However, if the owner of the apartment has a desire to replace the meter on his own, then he should take into account the following nuances. Firstly, there is an arrow on each water meter - it must coincide with the direction of the water supply. Secondly, the meter must be set so that the distance between it and the riser is not less than 30 cm. Thirdly, the dial of the device must be located so that the readings are clearly visible. It is known that payment of hot water by the meter (as the most expensive product of the housing and communal services) requires the transfer of extremely accurate data to suppliers. Recalculation with incorrect readings, some housing and communal organizations are reluctant.
What will happen if you do not set the counter
Payment of water without a meter, of course, is possible. It is still carried out by so many tenants on the basis of standards. But the Russians are concerned about the question of what will happen if the counters are not set at all. According to some experts, the legislation cannot give a clear answer to this question. On the one hand, Federal Law No. 261 “On Energy Saving” obliged apartment owners to start paying for water by meters before July 1, 2012. But at the same time, the legislator did not determine any methods of administrative influence on the owners of residential premises that did not set the meter by that time, as experts say.
At the same time, there are a number of laws in force, according to which from January 1, 2015, in those apartments where it is technically possible to install metering devices, but this has not been done, water consumption standards will be multiplied by an increasing factor. This means that water metering tariffs will most likely be more profitable than normative calculations.