If you’re considering submetering your cooling tower or other non-sewer water uses to qualify for sewer credits, the first question is usually: what will it cost? The good news is that submeter installation is one of the most straightforward and predictable capital investments in commercial building management \u2014 and the payback period is almost always measured in months, not years.<\/p>\n
The total installed cost of a water submeter depends primarily on the meter type, the pipe size, and whether the installation requires a building shutdown. For typical commercial cooling tower applications, expect these ranges. A basic mechanical turbine meter on a 2-inch line costs $300 to $800 for the meter itself, plus $500 to $1,500 for installation labor and fittings \u2014 total installed cost of $800 to $2,300. An electromagnetic (mag) meter on a 2-inch line costs $800 to $2,000 for the meter, plus $500 to $1,500 for installation \u2014 total of $1,300 to $3,500. An ultrasonic clamp-on meter avoids pipe cutting entirely and costs $1,500 to $4,000 installed, with the advantage of zero downtime and no pipe modifications.<\/p>\n
Larger pipe sizes increase costs proportionally. A 4-inch mag meter installation might run $3,000 to $5,000 total, while a 6-inch installation could reach $5,000 to $8,000. Most commercial cooling tower makeup lines are 2 to 4 inches in diameter, keeping the installation well within the lower cost ranges.<\/p>\n
Several factors can push installation costs toward the higher end. If the makeup water line runs through a congested mechanical room with limited clearance, the plumber may need extra time and fittings to create the straight pipe runs that most meters require for accurate readings. If the installation requires a building shutdown \u2014 draining the system, cutting into an active pipe \u2014 you’ll pay for the downtime coordination and the system refill afterward.<\/p>\n
Digital meters with built-in data logging and remote communication capabilities cost more upfront but eliminate the need for manual meter reading. If you’re planning to use the data for sewer credit applications<\/a> that require monthly or quarterly reporting, the convenience of automatic data collection often justifies the premium. The U.S. Department of Energy<\/a> recommends digital metering for cooling tower applications specifically because the data quality supports both operational optimization and utility credit documentation.<\/p>\n The payback math for a submeter installation is straightforward. Take your estimated monthly sewer credit savings and divide the installation cost by that amount. For a building with a 500-ton cooling tower evaporating 250,000 gallons per month at a sewer rate of $8 per thousand gallons, the potential monthly sewer credit is $2,000. A $2,500 meter installation pays for itself in less than six weeks.<\/p>\n Even for smaller installations with more modest savings \u2014 say $500 per month in sewer credits on a $3,000 meter installation \u2014 the payback is just six months. After that, every month is pure savings. This is why the EPA’s WaterSense program<\/a> consistently identifies submetering as one of the highest-return water management investments for commercial buildings.<\/p>\n From decision to operational meter, the typical timeline is two to four weeks. This includes selecting the meter type and ordering it (one to two weeks for standard sizes), scheduling the installation with a licensed plumber (one to two days of work), and configuring any data logging or remote monitoring capabilities. If you’re combining the submeter installation with a real-time monitoring system<\/a>, add a few days for the communication setup and software configuration.<\/p>\n After installation, you’ll need 60 to 90 days of baseline data before submitting your sewer credit application. Use this period to verify the meter is reading accurately and to establish your building’s normal water consumption pattern.<\/p>\n RPM Water Equity Solutions helps commercial facilities recover money lost to sewer billing assumptions. If your building has cooling towers, you may be paying sewer charges on water that never reaches the sewer system.<\/p>\nThe ROI Calculation<\/h2>\n
Installation Timeline<\/h2>\n
Ready to Find Out What You Could Save?<\/h3>\n