Water / Cold and hot water
Behind last years Most apartments in the capital have at least installed water meters. This clearly benefited the city and its residents, as water consumption has decreased significantly, and many residents have learned to save it to benefit their budget. But today the time comes to verify those very apartment meters. And it turned out that such a simple operation entails not a penny expense at all, writes the real estate newspaper Kvadrat.
Verification of water meters: from 500 to 1500 rubles per device
Our housing and communal services constantly surprise us with some miracles. And any initiative that is aimed at improvement and savings, contrary to good intentions, threatens citizens with expenses that come from nowhere.
The latest hit in this area was the epic with the verification of apartment water meters. In the capital, as in St. Petersburg, they already regularly measure liters in more than 80% of apartments. And Muscovites managed to feel the benefits of their presence. On average, installing meters allowed their owners to reduce water bills by 30%.
But “suddenly” it turned out that the meters need to be checked regularly, and this procedure is not cheap. Prices for it vary from 500 to 1500 rubles per water meter.
It’s good if there are only two meters in the apartment. But for the most part, only residents of “one-room apartments” received such luck. And in all other apartments, as a rule, there are at least four meters. But inspectors do not provide “wholesale discounts”.
Checking the water meter: accurate to half a jar
Daria, a housewife with many children, living in building 9, building 2 on Bolshaya Cheryomushkinskaya Street, spent a long time looking for an organization whose services for checking meters would be cheaper than other companies. In the end, she chose the Vodouchetservis company, which promised to charge only 500 rubles for each device and verify the water meter quickly and accurately.
Imagine the hostess’s surprise when the master, who appeared at the appointed hour, first of all asked her liter jar. Daria was not ready for such a turn in the measuring process. “I don’t have liter ones, only 700-gram ones,” she answered embarrassedly. “Nothing, it’ll do,” said the master and, having received the requested measuring tool, began the procedure.
Everything turned out to be trivially simple. The volume of water poured into the jar and the numbers on the meter dial testified to complete serviceability. The verification was successful, which was reflected in the treasured documents issued by the specialist.
“Do you always do this?” - the meticulous housewife clarified, just in case. “No, only when I see that the pipes in the house are new and not rusty. And when they are old, I always connect the equipment,” the wizard assured her and offered to check two more meters with the help of the owner’s jar, which were built into the taps going to the toilet and bathroom.
But Daria chose to reject the offer, reasonably considering that paying another thousand rubles for such a “super verification” was somehow strange.
Caution: the water meter verification period is calculated from the moment of manufacture, not installation!
According to regulations, hot water meters must be checked once every four years, and cold water meters - once every six years. All the meters in Daria’s apartment were installed no more than three years ago, but the master, looking at the devices, categorically declared: it’s time to check!
It turned out that the period is counted not from the day the meter was installed, but from the moment it was calibrated at the factory. That is, a meter can be produced and trusted, then it ends up in a warehouse somewhere for three years. And when it is finally installed in the apartment, the next verification period will come unusually soon.
Therefore, be careful when purchasing water meters, read the factory verification date.
Checking the water meter “according to the rules”
The case with the dosimeter jar may lead one to think that the whole idea of verifying meters was arranged only with the goal of collecting money from us “for nothing,” but this is not at all the case - the legislative framework governing the installation and verification of water meters, as well as other devices accounting for resource consumption are outlined quite clearly.
A certain order has already been established: documents relating to the verification of meters are in force,” Vitaly Subbotin, head of the department of housing and communal services and urban management of the Russian School of Management, told Kvadrat. - Among them: the federal law dated June 26, 2008 No. 102-FZ “On ensuring the uniformity of measurements”, Appendix to the Decree of the Moscow Government dated February 10, 2004 No. 77-PP “Procedure for organizing metering of cold and hot water consumption using common house and apartment meters” and Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354 of 05/06/2011, which approved the Rules for the provision of utility services.
How should correct verification be carried out? First of all, the master must have a document confirming his authority. This is an Accreditation Certificate in the field of ensuring the uniformity of measurements, issued to his company by the Federal Accreditation Service. The master must present the document to the owner of the apartment.
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The master brings with him a suitcase with measuring equipment. Typically this is measuring systems(verification installations) “Proliv-M10” and “Kaskad-2P”, with the help of which you can quickly carry out verification.
The "Kaskad-2P" installation includes two independent hydraulic measuring sections, a measuring controller, a signal generation and reading device (optoelectronic head) for the working reference and verified meters and a laptop.
Additionally, the unit can be equipped with electronic scales with a flow switch, which are used to calibrate working standards-water meters, which is an additional control device when resolving disputes between the organization conducting the verification and the person operating the water meter being verified.
The operating principle of "Cascade-2P" is based on a direct comparison of the measurement results of the volume of water passed sequentially through the installation and the meter being verified.
So, it turns out that that would-be master should have used it instead glass jar! But that is not all. Although technical descriptions you are already tired, to complete the picture you need to continue them.
After checking the water meter, documents are issued for the EIRC
When performing verification, the hydraulic measuring section is connected using flexible hoses to the pipeline on which the meter being verified is installed. Flow adjustment is carried out using ball valve with a fine adjustment device installed on the measuring section.
A signal conditioning device is installed on the working standard meter, which is connected to the measuring controller using cables. The controller operates under the control of a computer, which allows you to visualize measurement results, save them in a database, and also print them on a printer in the form of verification reports. The methodology for calculating verification work complies with GOST 8.156 and MI 1592-99 “Water meters. Verification methodology."
Ugh! Now it seems that's it. If, based on the verification results, the water meter is recognized as suitable for further operation, that is, its error is within the normal range, the client is given a set of documents for registration with the management company and the EIRC. It’s better not to delay this, otherwise next month your water consumption may be calculated not according to the meter, but according to the general household consumption volume.
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If, based on the verification results, the water meter is found to be unsuitable, the technician will issue a recommendation for its replacement. And if he’s lucky, he’ll have a spare meter with him, which he’ll immediately install in place of the broken one. Behind additional fee, of course.
Checking the meter: we wanted the best, but it turns out...
After a detailed review of the water meter verification process required by law, the amount is 500-1500 rubles. It doesn't seem overpriced at all anymore. At least we managed without nanotechnology - and thank you for that. But one question arises. If the coveted piece of paper about the serviceability of the meter can be issued with equal success both by a real master meter equipped with a miracle suitcase and all accreditations, and by his colleague with a can method of measurement - who will the owner of the apartment give preference to and his money?
Is he a fool to pay for the fact that his meter will be carefully checked and, with a certain degree of probability, will be declared unusable! It is much easier to give the same 500-1500 rubles. then, with a can, or even better - just “agree”, as is done everywhere here. And you don’t even need a can.
The saga of checking water meters risks repeating the same situation with car inspections, and in its worst version. When both the inspector and the person being checked are equally interested in not checking anything, but simply exchanging money for a stamp and signature.
About 20% of water meters do not pass verification
There are many laws, but the economics of the processes have not been calculated, says Vitaly Subbotin. - As practice shows, checking meters becomes an unprofitable procedure. The fact is that the cost of verification and the cost of replacing the meter with a new one are almost the same.
At the same time, when you invite a technician to check the meter, you risk not passing this very verification. Such a “misunderstanding” occurs in approximately 20% of cases.
Let me remind you that if the meter has not been verified, then the organization servicing your home will charge you for water according to consumption standards public services, and this often far exceeds the meter readings.
In Moscow, citizens who did not check their water meters on time receive bills indicating absolutely crazy water consumption. For example, those living in three-room apartment instead of the usual three to four thousand rubles. were happy with notifications for 15 thousand rubles. and more.
Checking water meters: there are ideas, but will things work?
The verification of water meters once again demonstrated the imperfection of the rules that apply in our housing and communal services.
According to Vitaly Subbotin, in our country the balance between the cost of goods and the cost of services is broken, when it is more expensive to repair a device than to buy a new one. And legal requirements often turn out to be more stringent than required. Therefore, in Russia it would be desirable to establish a longer verification interval for water meters.
First of all, it is necessary to interest the consumer, and this is only possible if he does not do the verification “under pressure.” We, for example, understand perfectly well that if you do not replace the car’s air filter on time, gasoline consumption will increase sharply, and here it’s everyone’s choice: change the filter or spend more on gasoline,” the expert argues.
By the way, recently the authorities came up with the idea of shifting control over readings from residential electricity meters to electricity sales organizations.
Now, under the threat of penalties and fines, citizens must take monthly readings from electricity meters and send this data to sales organizations and network companies. But as the head of the Federal Tariff Service, Sergei Novikov, recently reported, the issue of abolishing this norm is currently being considered. According to the head of the analytical department of the investment company Zerich Capital, Nikolai Podlevskikh, such castling will be convenient for the population, who will pay a fixed amount monthly, and at the end of the year - an adjustment payment. Well, a similar idea would be worth implementing in water accounting.
In the meantime, enterprising holders of the “Measuring Instrument Verification Certificate” forms are rubbing their hands in anticipation of profits, and we are preparing to pay for this incomprehensible verification. So what to do!
Today, the desire to install a water flow meter does not cause problems. Everyone can do this by simply dialing the phone number of an organization that is licensed for this type of work. After this, you will definitely be given an appointment for a specialist to come. The visit will be coordinated with you for convenience.
After installation, the owner will have to take care of verification, which is carried out at certain intervals. After this, he will receive a notification about the installation, where information about this will be entered.
When the check is not completed on time, the system is considered unusable. Regulations for, during this period and next year, has not changed. It is regulated by a decision of the cabinet of ministers at the beginning of this decade. A citizen who has a measuring instrument is obliged to check the individual device according to the rules specified in the technical passport.
Mostly, people use domestic devices. Their technical documents, created by GOST, give verification intervals. It follows from this that hot counter checked every 4 years. Cold - once every 6 years.
When replacing or installing flow devices, citizens provide the house management company with documents so that they can find out how the water meters were verified. It indicates the date of installation and when the mechanism began to operate. After such notification, you can begin counting based on the readings of the accounting tool. Sometimes the housing office, having information about the installation of water fixation structures in the home, which makes it possible to notify residents about the inspection in a timely manner, is in no hurry to make a message.
Only citizens suffer from the lack of verification. If, on the contrary, everything is there, then a comprehensive examination is carried out in the apartment directly on the spot. It is performed without removing the element, using specific equipment. At the end of the action, the master gives a package of documents. This is the act of commissioning a water meter along with a service agreement. Everything is listed there required stamps, as well as signatures. It must be submitted to the Unified Information Settlement Center (UISC).
Where can I send the water meter verification certificate?
Each resident who has checked the water meter is given a package of documents. In addition to the act of entering the IPU of water, other papers are also required to be handed over to the owner of the mechanism. These include a certificate of verification of water meters.
All documents, including the act and certificate, are required in short time submit to the EIRC (14 days). Observe carefully when the master fills out the papers correctly, stamps and signatures are placed there. That's when they can be considered legal. Two copies are usually issued. One of them remains with the owner of the apartment and the device, and the other is rented out to the EIRC.
At the moment when a new product, or one that has passed verification, is registered in a special database, the deadline for the next diagnosis is updated. An advantage to this is that you don’t have to pay for water according to the tariffs set by the “managers”. They only pay for the water used in comparison with the prices for 2017 in your region. We remind you that verification is required by law. This is a kind of agreement form, which IPU works correctly and without failures.
Acts and more are the end of the process. For verification itself, you must submit a written application to the office that is responsible for the water supply in your home.
Now we can organize. Do not hand over the device to a special department. There are now portable laboratories that contain equipment that can accurately and quickly test technical performance. This is a fairly easy procedure. She doesn't demand special effort. However, it costs more.
What is a credential stamp?
Another question, where is the mark applied? This sign is transferred to the water meter and other technical documents. It certifies that verification has been carried out with the required results. Also intended to insure the meter against some kind of illegitimate access, even with adjusting devices. Specific verification marks are also used to cancel existing marks.
State metrological service departments work with verification designations. Also state metrological centers of the State Standard of the country. The activities are carried out by metrological services that have a license to carry out verification, have documents for this, and constitute relevant agreements and acts.
According to legal acts for 2017, the element must have a clear design. It must be maintained throughout the entire verification period and applies to the modes in which the water volume meter operates. Here is a sample of the mark after checking the measuring elements not only of water.
Verification elements carry a whole package of information:
- Sign of the Russian metrological department.
- A certain code for a metrology company.
- Two extreme digits of the period of use of the verification designation.
- Personal sign of the person who performed the diagnostics. But it may not be present in some cases intended to prevent illegal access to configuration mechanisms.
- During verification, additional information may be placed in the image. For example, some month of the year when the water meter was checked and a report was issued.
Codes for services applying this methodology are assigned during their licensing for the right to verify water measuring instruments.
How to restore a passport for a water meter?
It happens that water meters operate absolutely normally. But before the expected verification, documents and contracts are not found. The certificate of verification of water meters has also been lost. Or have you checked into new house, but you did not receive a passport for the meters. In this case, it is much more important whether you have an act of entering the device. All the necessary dates are entered into the report and the calibration interval for a particular model is indicated.
In the absence of any documents and the timing of the water meter regulation is unclear, the technicians recommend replacing the meter. Otherwise, the specialist who comes to do the examination will not know about the service life of the water measuring device and will not issue a foot notification. It is likely that the water meter can be sent to a landfill.
Documentary confirmation of verifications and the water meter is available at the house management or water utility. During registration, copies of documents are transferred to the management office.
Manufacturers, upon request, are able to restore data on water meters. It will cost 200-500 rubles. However, you need to know exactly where the device you purchased was manufactured. At the same time, you will need information for the application, which includes:
- IPU brand indicating the brand;
- factory number;
- data from the seal.
One way or another, you can determine where the unit was manufactured. Send an application there with contrasting photos water meter. But you will most likely have to wait quite tediously for an answer. At the same time, the manager will start charging for water according to unrealistic standards.
For water products without documents, the interval of routine maintenance will be much lower. Verification will have to be carried out annually. In this case, it will be much easier to install a new meter, on duty, without remembering the supervisory authorities. It's better than calling in a specialist every year with water fixtures.
Do you have questions about checking meters?
Write! We'll call you back
Currently, almost every apartment is equipped with individual resource consumption metering devices such as water meters, which allow saving this important resource for humans. The owner of the premises is obliged to monitor the correct operation of the devices. For this purpose, water meters must be checked at certain intervals.
Why is verification needed?
The law establishes that the owner of the premises is required to carry out routine inspections of equipment. Main normative document regulating the procedure - No. 102-FZ “On ensuring the uniformity of measuring instruments”, which explains why verification of meters is needed. A water meter is an accurate and sensitive device that regularly comes into contact with water. It is subject to wear and tear and after a certain period of operation may show incorrect data and become unusable. So, due to a more aggressive impact, hot water meters are checked more often.
This procedure is aimed at determining the compliance of the device metrological requirements by diagnosing its operation using a special apparatus.
The legislation clearly defines the timing and procedure for carrying out the procedure. Often, utility services notify owners in advance of the need to check water meters.
When to check the meter
The need to verify water meters is determined by the high wear and tear of these plumbing fixtures. A faulty unit provides unreliable data, leading to overpayment or underpayment for the resource. As stated earlier, the timing for checking water meters is set by the state. The frequency of inspection depends on a number of factors.
Water type
According to the law, verification of water meters cold water is carried out every 6 years. Hot water metering equipment is checked every 4 years, since due to high temperatures and impact large quantity chemical elements wear occurs faster.
Place and date of production
Each IPU (individual metering device) has its own technical documentation, which indicates the terms of its operation and control of operation. Domestic manufacturers set deadlines for checking water meters, focusing on current laws. They have a conventional mechanical design built into them and are manufactured according to GOST. However, in some apartments imported IPUs are installed, the diagnostic period of which sometimes exceeds 10 years from the date of production. They are made from high-quality materials, they are more reliable and accurate due to the installed electronic chip.
An important point is that the verification period is counted not from the moment of installation, but from the date of manufacture of the device. This issue is regulated Government Decree No. 354 . For example, if a cold water meter has been in storage for 2 years, then diagnostics are done not after 6 years from the date of installation, but after 4. Therefore, you can find out what the date of the next verification is by looking technical certificate
unit.
Sometimes situations arise when it is necessary to unscheduled check the water meter in the apartment, or replace it with a new one. The reasons for this may be the following:
- Irregularities in the operation of equipment or manufacturing defects have been noticed. A faulty unit can be easily detected by noticing a sharp change in its readings and comparing it with data for the previous period. Their sharp fluctuation indicates a breakdown.
- The integrity of the seals is broken. This indicates that the water meter has been exposed to external influences and is therefore unusable. For further use, it is necessary to check it and install new seals.
- Personal desire of the user.
- Lost the passport for the device during an inspection by the water utility inspector.
Each owner should be interested in timely checking of their IPU, since the water supply depends on this. You should take care of the procedure in advance - one to two months.
Who checks
Only companies accredited in the field of ensuring the uniformity of measurements can carry out verification of meters. They can be both public and private. The advantage of private organizations for checking water meters is the ability to carry out the procedure at home. The owner independently chooses the company and diagnostic method. But before checking water meters, request a certificate of accreditation issued Federal service on accreditation. Without it, the verification will be invalid.
How to check a water meter
The rules for checking water meters provide for two ways to carry out the procedure: by removing the meter and without it.
Verification in the laboratory
The metering device verification process consists of several stages:
- When the time comes for meter verification, the owner needs to submit two applications to the water supply company. One is used for dismantling the device, the other for taking readings by a company employee.
- After receiving the application, a technician comes to your home, takes readings from the water meter and dismantles it.
- The owner takes the removed device to the standardization center and submits a request for inspection. The receiving company draws up an act of withdrawal of the meter indicating the brand and serial numbers. The customer must provide a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and a passport to the IPU.
- After some time (from 30 minutes to several days), the device can be collected. Along with it, the consumer is given a certificate of completion of work, a contract for the provision of services and an inspection certificate.
- Then an application to install the device back is submitted again.
- After this, an employee of the resource supplying organization will come and install a verified water meter, take readings from it and seal it. After installing the device, the technician issues a certificate of suitability of the unit for further operation.
During water meter diagnostics, water charges will be calculated based on the average amount for the last 3-6 months.
Verification at home
The procedure for checking water meters at home has appeared recently. This is possible thanks to the use of a special calibration device for testing. The examination is based on weighing the water passing through the equipment and is carried out according to the following scheme:
- The company technician connects the inlet hose from the measuring unit to the threaded mixer. Typically, a shower hose is used with the shower head removed.
- The instrument scales are reset to zero, and a container is placed on them to collect water, into which the hose is lowered.
- Before carrying out the procedure, the operation of the IPU must be checked; the counter should not spin. Data from them is recorded for further comparison.
- After this, open the tap with the hose attached to it, draw 3 liters of water, and then close it. This experiment is done several times.
- The obtained data from the calibration equipment is compared with the readings of the water meter and the error produced by the device is determined.
- If the error is within permissible norm(less than 5%), the water meter is considered suitable. The master issues the relevant inspection documents and submits the service provision certificate with all signatures and seals. If the error is above the permissible limit, the unit should be replaced.
Diagnostics at home is more convenient for the consumer, but if the water meter malfunctions, it is still dismantled.
What to do if the deadline has expired
If verification is not done, the default meter becomes unusable. Payment for water supply will be calculated based on the average for the previous three or six months (depending on the region), and then according to standards, taking into account the number of registered residents.
ATTENTION! Some service companies charge fines if the water meter verification is overdue. But such sanctions are illegal. When such a fine is imposed,
After the service life of the meter expires, it is replaced with a new device, which must be sealed.
Cost of verification
Diagnostics of metering devices is not carried out free of charge; each owner must carry out an inspection at the expense own funds. The cost of checking water meters depends on the method of doing it, but the price turns out to be approximately the same. average cost services vary from 350 rub. up to 1200 rub. The inspection fee may increase if equipment needs to be replaced. Then you need to pay for a new device and its installation.
Where to take documents after checking meters
First, let's determine what documents should be available:
- Certificate of delivery and acceptance of an individual water meter. It contains information about serial numbers, installation date, information about the owner, and information about the company installing the equipment. The act is signed by both parties.
- Device passport with information about the date of its manufacture and commissioning.
- Certificate of verification of the device indicating the date of the next check.
Documents for installing, replacing or checking water meters are submitted to your management company or HOA to register a water meter. Then the documents are submitted to the Unified Information and Settlement Center (UISC). Together with the meter verification certificate, a technical passport and a commissioning certificate are submitted.
The legislation clearly and clearly explains why regular diagnostics are carried out individual devices water accounting. The frequency of the procedure depends on the type of water for which the water meter is installed, as well as on the manufacturer. Legal diagnostics of water meters, both in laboratory conditions and at home, can only be carried out by officially accredited organizations. The owner is responsible for monitoring when it is necessary to check the meters. In case of delay, the meter will be considered unfit for operation, and water supply charges will be calculated based on the approved rates and not on the actual basis. Sometimes utility services themselves remind you of the upcoming verification, but you can find out the deadlines yourself by studying the data in the unit’s passport. The certificate of the inspection is provided to the Criminal Code and the EIRC.