Supplementary Material 4.

2
Determining unmetered consumption

Objective
In many water utilities, there are supply zones where domestic water consumption is not metered. To get
appropriate values for elaborating the water balance, a good estimate of the unmeasured domestic water
consumption has to be made. In general, there are two methods available for the determination of
unmetered consumption:

Individual household monitors (IHM)

Area monitors (AM)

In the following a step-by-step explanation is given, how unmeasured domestic consumption can be
estimated by means of these two methods, under consideration of their respective advantages and
disadvantages.

Target Group
Water utilities which have not equipped all customers with water meters and therefore have to estimate
billed (and unbilled) unmetered domestic water consumption for setting up the water balance.
Supplementary Materials 4.2 Unmetered consumption
1 Requirements

Basic data needed

For both methods – IHM and AM – census data and known consumption data of the areas monitored are
needed, including:

Data Where to get them? Needed for

Number of unmetered households in monitored zone Landbase, statistical office AM
Occupancy (residence occupied or not) CIS, statistical office, surveys AM
Number of persons per unmetered household (for CIS, statistical office, surveys IHM & AM
each household for IHM, average value for AM)
Metered domestic consumption of monitored zone Billing system AM
(total annual consumption of all households)
Metered and estimated unmetered annual commercial Billing system, individual monitoring, AM
and other non-household consumption literature values
Metered and estimated unmetered annual commercial Landbase, CIS, surveys IHM & AM
and other non-household consumption

2 Working procedures

Individual household monitors

The individual household monitors (IHM) approach is based on the metering of a representative number
of unmeasured domestic customers. Their consumption is used to extrapolate the consumption of all
unmetered households.
1 Selection of representative customers

At least 1-2% of the unmetered households should be chosen as sample.

The properties should be selected randomly. After the properties are chosen, it should be
checked if the average monitoring pressure of the water supply system is similar to the pressure
at the properties.

The participants should be informed about the survey (but still pay their current tariff).

To ensure that the consumption behaviour is not influenced by the measurement, a clandestine
survey might be performed at some households.
2 Installation of water meters

Interior and exterior installation of water meters is possible (at best suitable place).

To avoid manipulation, the water meter should be locked inside a box.

For the measurement either manually read water meters can be used or water meters with
logging devices. The first ones are significantly cheaper, but require higher personnel placement
Supplementary Materials 4.2 Unmetered consumption
 and do not deliver additional data, such as household overnight consumption or consumption
patterns.

In intermittently supplied water distribution networks it is important to select water meters that
do not register air passing through them. Otherwise false consumption volumes will be
measured.
3 Identification of leakage from service connections

Leakages are of minor importance for IHM since distribution distances are rather short.

In IHM with meters installed externally, leakage from service connections has to be identified
and deducted from the measurement. If logging devices are used, small leakages during night
periods as well as the quantity of water lost during burst events can be identified.
4 Water meter reading

The manually read water meters should be read at monthly intervals.

In case of data logging, a period of 15 minutes should be chosen.

For the determination of the per capita consumption (PCC), measurements of a one-year period
should be collected.
5 Determination of the per capita consumption (PCC) of one IHM household

Meters are usually not capable to record all flows, especially at low flow rates. Depending on the
household’s demand pattern, it is recommendable to add 2-4% to the measured water volume
(meter under-registration).

Identified leakage from service connections has to be subtracted from the measured volume.

To receive the PCC, the corrected volume has to be divided by the number of persons that live
in the monitored household.

This is repeated for every individually monitored household. An average PCC for all IHMs has
to be formed.

QIHM + QMUR -QLSC

PCC= (1)
N PUH*N dwsp

Where PCC [m³/cap/d] Average per capita consumption in unmetered households

QIHM [m³/a] Annual metered household consumption of monitored household
QMUR [m³/a] Estimated volume of meter under-registration
QLSC [m³/a] Volume of leakage from service connection
Ndwsp [d/a] Number of days when system is pressurised
NPUH [cap] Total number of persons in monitored household

6 Validation of results
Samples with very high variations should be validated (e.g. by means of short customer interviews). If they
seem to be correct, they should be kept in the records. If not, they should not be used for the
extrapolation.
7 Extrapolation of all PCCs to receive the total annual unmetered consumption
In order to calculate the total annual unmetered household consumption of a supply area, the PCC can be
extrapolated by means of the following equation:

Supplementary Materials 4.2 Unmetered consumption

 (2)
QUHC=PCC * N PUH * N dwsp

Where QUHC [m³/a] Total annual unmetered household consumption

PCC [m³/cap/d] Average per capita consumption in unmetered households
NPUH [cap] Total number of persons in unmetered households
Ndwsp [d/a] Number of days when system is pressurised

Area Monitors
The area monitor (AM) approach is based on the metering at the main feed of a small number of houses
of unmeasured domestic consumption. Unmetered household consumption can be determined after the
deduction of water losses, metered consumption, commercial and other non-domestic consumption.
1. Selection of area monitors

Establish AMs that cover more than 50% of the unmetered households.

The size of an AM varies between a small cul-de-sac to a full DMA and depends on the
condition of the system (degree of ramification, number of DMAs present, etc.).
2. Installation of flow meters

Flow meters with data logging devices should be installed with a single flow meter being in use
for one AM.
3. Identification of leakage from service connections

If flow meters witrh data loggers are used, leakage can be identified from night consumption

Logging devices can also be used to estimate quantities of water lost during bursts.
4. Water meter reading
A logging period of 15 minutes should be chosen. For the extrapolation of the total annual unmetered
consumption, measurements of a one-year period should be collected.
5. Determination of the annual unmetered water consumption of the AM

Meter under-registration is not a problem for AM.

Measurements have to be corrected for leakage, metered customers consumption, commercial
and other non-domestic consumption.
6. Validation of results
Choose a subset of AMs with reliable and stable results. Errors can be reduced by defining limits for the
AM characteristics taken from the subset, such as sustainable and stable results. AMs with less robust data
are to be excluded form the analysis.
7. Extrapolation to receive the total annual unmetered consumption

The PCC consumption of validated AMs has to be determined (validated consumption divided
by the total number of persons that live in unmetered households within that AM). An average
PCC for all AMs has to be formed.

In order to calculate the total annual unmetered household consumption of a supply area, the
PCC can be extrapolated by means of the following equation:

Working Materials 4.2 Unmetered consumption

 (3)
QUHC=PCC * N PUH * N dwsp

Where QUHC [m³/a] Total annual unmetered household consumption

PCC [m³/cust/d] Average per capita consumption in unmetered households
NPUH [cust] Total number of persons in unmetered households
Ndwsp [d/a] Number of days when system is pressurised

3 Advantages and disadvantages of IHMs and AMs

+ -
IHMs • Good for systems with high water losses.
• Good for mixed areas (with metered
domestic consumption and unmetered
commercials and industries).
AMs • Customers are less aware of the
monitoring and their consumption
behaviour will not change.
• If data logging is applied, consumption
profiles can be established.
• The smaller the number of samples, the
higher the risk that the measurements
are not representative.
• Households might change their
consumption behaviour when they are
informed about the survey.
• The use of IHMs might be restricted by
the willingness to participate.
• For manually read meters leakage cannot
be identified.
• Unsuitable for systems with high water
losses.
• Unsuitable for mixed areas (with
measured domestic consumption and
unmetered commercials and industries).

Best results will be obtained if both methods are combined. IHMs should be used in mixed areas and in
case of high water losses. AMs can be used for existing DMAs and in areas where the willingness to
participate is rather low. Combining the results of both methods will create good average per capita
consumption data.

Supplementary Materials 4.2 Unmetered consumption