A small multifamily property can still face big water-bill surprises when everything runs through a single master meter. In California-where cost, conservation, and compliance pressures are high-switching to unit-level monitoring can turn water management from reactive to proactive.
This case-study-style walkthrough shows how a master-metered property can use LeakSense-style submetering and alerts to reduce billing friction, surface hidden waste, and create clearer accountability across units.
The challenge: Master-meter billing with no visibility
The property was master-metered, so the association/owner received one city bill and then had to allocate costs across residents. That meant residents could unknowingly (or unintentionally) waste water-running toilets, open faucets, slow leaks-and the cost blended into a shared bill that everyone paid.
When water charges spiked, the team had no unit-level proof to explain why, which made billing conversations and disputes harder to resolve. Without per-unit data, it was guesswork plus spreadsheets.
The turning point: Continuous-flow alerts catch a “silent” leak early
The biggest operational change came from getting near-real-time visibility and anomaly detection. Systems that track unit usage and flag continuous or unusually high flow can identify issues like a running toilet or fixture failure before the next billing cycle arrives.
In the Florida example that inspired this format, a running toilet was estimated to waste roughly 70,000 gallons in a month (about 1.6 gallons per minute) and could have driven about $2,100 in charges at local rates-caught because the system detected constant flow and sent an alert.
Why this matters more in California: Requirements and resident-facing billing rules
California has specific rules affecting new multifamily construction and how tenants must be billed and informed when submeters are used. Beginning Jan 1, 2018, new multifamily construction that applies for a new water connection must measure water supplied to each dwelling unit (via meters or submeters) as a condition of new water service.
California also sets expectations for submeter access/readability and billing disclosures, including informing tenants they’ll be billed separately for water, providing an estimate of monthly water charges, and giving clear contact methods for billing questions and leak reporting.
What a LeakSense-style setup looks like (and why teams adopt it)
Property teams typically adopt submetering to achieve three outcomes:
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Unit-level accountability (so fair billing is possible).
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Faster leak identification (so waste doesn’t quietly compound).
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Easier conversations (because usage is documented, not assumed).
LeakSense positions its metering tiers around these operational goals, from foundational per-unit billing to advanced leak detection and higher-protection options. You can explore options directly at LeakSense product page
Results you should expect (and what drives the range)
When residents pay based on measured use-and when leaks are flagged quickly-overall consumption often declines because waste becomes visible and correctable. The Florida case narrative reports that usage dropped after installing submeters and that leak alerts reduced surprises and disputes by replacing guesswork with unit-level evidence.
Actual results in California will vary based on baseline fixture conditions, how quickly maintenance responds, local water/sewer rates, and whether the property moves from flat-rate to true consumption-based billing.
Next steps: Plan your California rollout
If the property is master-metered today, the fastest way to evaluate ROI is to map your current pain points:
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How often do bills spike without explanation?
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How long can a leak run before anyone notices?
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How much staff time goes into allocations and disputes?
For a product overview and implementation path, start at https://leaksense.io/ and align your deployment with California’s disclosure/billing expectations for submetered properties.