Water submetering that shows where every litre goes.
One main meter tells you what the building used, not which tower, floor, tenant space or system used it, or when. SMART adds that detail with clamp-on ultrasonic sensors where there is no meter and sensors on the meters you already have, then monitors the data and turns it into reports your team can use.
Two ways to submeter a building.
Most buildings end up with a mix of both. The free water assessment maps which lines to measure and which method fits each one.
Clamp-on ultrasonic sensors where there is no meter
Where a line has no meter, we clamp ultrasonic sensors to the outside of the pipe to measure flow. Nothing is cut into the line and the water stays on. You get consumption for that part of the building without a full metering project.
Sensors on the meters you already have
Where meters are already in place, we fit sensors to most types so their readings come into the same monitoring system. Existing meters keep working, and nobody has to walk the building to read them.
The water assessment is a site visit plus written findings, including which lines to meter. Submetering runs on the same system as our commercial leak detection.
What submetering data is for.
Finding waste
Flow at 2 a.m. in an empty tenant space, a washroom stack that never drops to zero, a cooling tower using more than last month. Submetering shows which part of the building is responsible, not just that the total went up.
Allocating cost
Usage by tower, floor, unit or tenant space gives your team and your board a factual basis for allocating water costs. SMART supplies the data; your property manager, condo corporation or billing provider decides how the numbers are used.
Planning capital work
Consumption by system and by area shows which retrofits and repairs would actually pay back.
Supporting leak response
A rise in flow on one submeter narrows a leak to one part of the building before anyone sees water.
Data your team can use.
Every submetered building gets the same monitoring and reporting as the rest of our indoor water management service.
- Client dashboard. Consumption by meter and by period, in one place.
- 24/7 automated alerts. Alerts go to your contact chain when flow on a line leaves its normal range.
- SWS water team, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET. Outside those hours, alerts go to the contacts you choose.
- Water Intelligence Report. An annual report on consumption, trends and events across the building, with a Water Manager deep dive on request.
What this service is not.
We do not bill tenants or unit owners. SMART provides the submetering data, monitoring and reports. How that data is used for cost allocation is up to your property manager, condo corporation or billing provider.
Where submetering fits in indoor water management.
Submetering is one part of SMART's indoor water management. On the same system, a building can have leak sensors at the risk points, flow monitoring on the incoming service, and remote or automatic shutoff where a valve is installed. The result is one record of what the building's water is doing.
See the full indoor water management service and how commercial leak detection works. Available for commercial buildings and condominiums in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec.
Water submetering: common questions.
What is water submetering?
Water submetering means measuring water use behind the main meter, by tower, floor, tenant space, unit or system, so you can see where water is used and when. The main meter shows the building total; submeters break it down.
Do you install new meters or work with the ones we have?
Both. Where there is no meter, we install clamp-on ultrasonic sensors on the outside of the pipe, with no cutting into the line and no water shutdown. Where meters already exist, we fit sensors to most meter types so their readings come into the same monitoring system.
Do you bill tenants or unit owners?
No. SMART provides the submetering data, monitoring and reports. How the data is used for cost allocation is up to your property manager, condo corporation or billing provider.
What reports do we get?
A client dashboard with consumption by meter and period, 24/7 automated alerts when flow leaves its normal range, and an annual Water Intelligence Report. A Water Manager deep dive is available on request.
Can submetering help find leaks?
Yes. When flow on one submeter rises outside its normal pattern, it points to that part of the building. Combined with leak sensors and flow monitoring, it shortens the search.
Where do you provide water submetering?
Commercial buildings and condominiums in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, as part of our indoor water management service.
Find out what your building's
water is doing.
Tell us about the building; we will walk it, map which lines to meter and send written findings.
Book a water assessment→Connect with us
Want to talk through submetering for one building or a whole portfolio? Call or email our indoor water team.