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Water metering
Depending on the type of water authorisation or works you have, you may be required to install a water meter to measure your water use.
This guide details water metering requirements for different types of users. It also provides information on measurement requirements, meter validation, meter readings and what to do if your meter is faulty.
What's new?
Amendments to the Water Regulation 2016 apply from 22 July 2024.
These changes will improve the accuracy of water measurement and help us to manage our water resources fairly and sustainably.
Many of the changes don't require immediate action by water users and will be implemented gradually.
To help you meet your obligations, we will keep you informed about what you need to do as changes are rolled out.
Any metering process underway before 22 July 2024 will continue with no changes (for example revalidation and fixing faulty meters).
From 22 July 2024
Faulty meters must be repaired or replaced within 30 business days.
The Water Regulation (Schedules 11 and 11A) state when you need to:
- provide meter reads to the department
- install and certify a new meter
- certify an existing meter.
Meters and water level stations need to be certified every 5 years. Certificates will expire 5 years from the date of certification.
Find out more about how the changes affect water users.
Which water users need a meter?
You may need a water meter depending on the type of authorisation or works you have.
Water supply scheme or channel scheme customers
Scheme operators are required to measure water taken by their customers.
The scheme operator will specify measurement requirements in the water supply contract. These would usually provide detail about:
- who owns the meter
- operation and maintenance of the meter
- access to the meter
- what to do if the meter becomes faulty
- any requirements to install other devices, such as telemetry.
Metered entitlement holders or holders of relevant authorisations
Depending on your location, you may hold a 'metered entitlement' or ‘relevant authorisation’. The areas of Queensland where entitlements are, or will soon be required to be, metered are listed in Schedule 11 of the Water Regulation 2016 (the Regulation).
If you hold a metered entitlement or a relevant authorisation then you must:
- have a meter attached to the works used to extract water
- have the meter validated (certified)
- provide us with meter readings as required
- notify us if the meter becomes faulty.
Note that you do not need to install a meter for a metered entitlement or relevant authorisation if:
- you do not extract any water against this water authorisation
- you only extract water for watering stock and/or for household use where a water authorisation is not required
- you meet a threshold or exemption stated for your area in Schedule 11 of the Regulation.
In some cases, holders of metered entitlements or relevant authorisations may also extract water supplied by a scheme operator through the same works used for the metered entitlement. In these cases, you are responsible for ensuring:
- the meter being used is a validated (certified)
- you notify us and the scheme operator if the meter becomes faulty.
Contact your local business centre if you are unsure.
Other water users
You may be required to have a meter installed if any of the water charges mentioned in Schedule 14 of the Water Regulation 2016 apply to you.
Water meter validation
What's new?
22 July 2024: All meters must meet the standard and be validated (certified) by someone with the right qualifications. It is your responsibility as the water entitlement holder to ensure you have a current meter validation certificate.Before, these qualified people were called an 'authorised meter validator' and now they are known as a 'certified meter installer and validator'.
All meters must meet the requirements of the Interim water meter standard for non-urban metering (PDF, 5.2MB).
The interim metering standard includes several modules, which you can access below along with the associated forms.
Meter validation (certification)
To meet the measurement requirements in the Water Regulation, the meter must be validated by a certified meter installer and validator. The validator will inspect the meter and if it meets requirements, issue a validation certificate. You can access the validation forms below.
Certified meter installers and validators are either certified by Irrigation Australia or appointed by the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water.
Visit Irrigation Australia Ltd (IAL) for a list of certified meter installers and validators, or contact your local pump and irrigation service company.
Once your meter has been validated (certified), your certified meter installer and validator must give you a copy of the validation certificate and send a copy to the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water within 10 business days of it being issued.
Contact your local business centre for more information.
Certified meter installers and validators cannot validate a meter where they are also the holder of the metered entitlement or own the works.
A link to the relevant application form for each module is included below.
- Module A (PDF, 2.6MB)
- Validation form (PDF, 734KB)
- Maintenance record (PDF, 100KB)
- Meter installation plans (PDF, 1.1MB)
- Requirements for individual meters
- Accusonic 8510+ (PDF, 118KB)
- Flexim Fluxus F501 (PDF, 111KB)
- Mace – XCi and Series II (PDF, 346KB)
- McCROMETER FPI (PDF, 111KB)
- Multi-Jet (PDF, 99KB)
- NMI14/3/34 WP-Dynamic (PDF, 100KB)
- NMI14/3/44 ARAD WSTsb (PDF, 99KB)
- NMI14/3/24 MAG5100W with MAG8000 Transmitter (PDF, 108KB)
- NMI14/3/54 BIL WPD (PDF, 99KB)
- NMI 14/3/57 Bermad Turbo-IR-M (PDF, 100KB)
- Paddle wheel (PDF, 99KB)
- Propeller actuated (PDF, 99KB)
- Self-contained electromagnetic with no certificate of approval (PDF, 107KB)
- SONO modular metering system (PDF, 118KB)
- SONO self contained (PDF, 116KB)
- SonTek side-looking water meter (PDF, 219KB)
- Module C (PDF, 879KB)
- Validation form (PDF, 770KB)
- Maintenance record (PDF, 98KB)
- Requirements for individual meter
Under development
Revalidation of water meters
Water meters must be revalidated and recertified every five years to ensure they continue to meet the standards. You will be informed when your meter requires revalidation.
Note: You do not need to revalidate your meter if you no longer take water under your metered entitlement.
If you think this applies to you, you must notify us by contacting your local business centre or by phoning 13 QGOV (13 74 68).
Faulty measurement devices
If you have water entitlement and are required to measure your water take, you are a holder of a relevant authorisation (HRA). You must ensure your measurement devices (for example a meter) operate correctly. If it stops working, you must report it to us.
What's new?
From 22 July 2024, the time you have to repair or replace a faulty device has changed to 30 business days.
Meters reported as faulty prior to 22 July 2024 still have 60 business days to be repaired or replaced.
What is a faulty measurement device?
The Water Regulation 2016 defines a faulty measurement device. Some examples of faults include:
- a water meter that cannot
- be read, for example if the glass on the meter is frosted or broken or the meter dial or display is obscured
- record the volume of water taken in accordance with acceptable tolerances outlined in the Queensland interim water meter standard for non-urban metering (PDF, 470KB)
- an installation that is leaking water or air that affects the flow of water through the meter (including leaks to connections or fittings to works to which the meter is attached)
- tamper proof seals are broken or damaged
- telemetry fitted to the meter is not functioning.
You may be committing an offence under the Water Regulation 2016 if you do not report a faulty measurement device to the department. That could lead to fines or other consequences.
Reporting a faulty measurement device
If you become aware of a fault, you must tell us within 3 business days. Contact your local business centre.
If we find that your measurement device is faulty (for example during a field inspection), we will give you a notice directing you to repair or replace it.
Requirement to repair or replace your measurement device
You can continue to take water through a faulty measurement device if you have notified the department that it is faulty.
You must record your water take using the alternative requirements in the Water use assessment report form (PDF, 1.7MB).
It is important to keep accurate records of the water taken, so that you can demonstrate that you are meeting your water entitlement responsibilities.
Once you become aware, or have been notified, that your measurement device is faulty, you have 30 business days to:
- repair or replace your measurement device
- organise a validation inspection if the device is a meter.
Once the meter has been repaired or replaced, you must provide us with a completed:
- water use assessment report (PDF, 677KB) within 20 business days.
If you need more time to complete the repair or to submit the certification of the new device, contact your local business centre before the due date. Requests for an extension to this time will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Reading your water meter
You must read and submit your water meter reading to the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing and Water.
If you received a meter read notice before 22 July 2024, you must comply with the requirements of that notice and submit your reading.
What's new?
From 22 July 2024 the department will not issue meter read notices.
The Water Regulation (Schedules 11 and 11 A) states when you must provide meter reads. The department will send you a meter reading reminder ahead of time.
Check for faults
Make sure you regularly inspect your meter to ensure it isn't faulty.
You'll need to report any fault within 3 business days.
Submit your meter reading
You can submit your meter reading online.
Alternatively, you can print and complete a meter reading form (PDF, 1.6MB) and return it to the department.
How to read your meter
Guidance about how to take readings from specific types of water meters.
Davies Shepherd Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. In this example, the reading would be 363173 | |
Elster R2000 Water Meter 80–125mm Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. In this example, the reading would be 1395965 | |
Elster R2000 Water Meter 150–300mm Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. In this example, the reading would be 0000028 | |
Elster R1000 Water Meter 50mm–125mm Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. In this example, the reading would be 000002 | |
Elster R1000 Water Meter 150mm–300mm Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. In this example, the reading would be 000001 | |
Siemens MAG 8000 Water Meter Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. In this example, the reading would be 00075642. Under normal conditions the meter will display the total volume that has passed through the meter in megalitres. Pressing the key (black triangle in the yellow square) will cycle the display through the display screens:
After 10 minutes without pressing the key, the display will time-out and go back to the total volume display | |
Arad Multijet Water Meter Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. For example, this reading would be 000004 | |
Arad IRT Water Meter 80mm–250mm Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. For example, this reading would be 000004 | |
Arad Turbo WST Water Meter 50mm–200mm Provide the series of numbers on the dial of your meter including leading and trailing zeros. For example, this reading would be 000005 |
Also consider...
- For more information about reading meters, contact your local departmental office or email NRO.Water@rdmw.qld.gov.au.
© The State of Queensland 1995–2024
- Last reviewed: 08 Sep 2021
- Last updated: 08 Sep 2021