Water bills for the building amounted to $103,000 over 33 months – ten times more than the identical building next door. City metering reflected massive water use or significant water leakage from the building, and no reason was found to explain differences in water use such as water leaks, manufacturing processes, or high flow fixtures present.
Prior to DRF’s involvement, the owners had invested heavily in projects to determine the causes including installation of submeters, rerouting inside plumbing, and converting piping from underground to overhead piping.
Utilizing smart meter technology, DRF discovered a significant difference in water consumption compared to the City meter. Documented data plus video evidence showed that the City meter was faulty. The City Water Department replaced the building water meter and provided restitution for over three years of over-billing.