Point-of-use water submetering from H2O Degree is saving buildings thousands of dollars and gallons of water every month.

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A Single “leaking” toilet — that is, one constantly running due to a broken flapper, a stuck chain, or a cracked fill valve — can waste as much as 75,000 gallons a month!

Simple, Cost-Effective Installation

Suitable for new construction and ideal for retrofits, H2O Degree’s L54120+ meters can be installed on single or dual point-of-entry pipes where water enters a unit, or on any point-of-use application in the apartment, including toilets, showerheads, sinks and appliances.

On toilets and most point-of-use applications, building maintenance teams can install the meters without a plumber. And because L54120+ meters are battery-powered, there’s no need for hard-wiring and electricians. Once in operation, the batteries have a 5-7 year lifespan and voltage is monitored so they can be replaced long before failure.

Suitable for All Building Types:

Multi-Family • Mixed-Use

High-Rise • Garden Style

New Construction • Retrofits

Running toilets account for up to 50% of a building’s water waste and drive thousands in excess utility costs. In traditional master meter billing scenarios, that waste often stays hidden — accumulating for weeks or even months before it’s detected. That’s a significant challenge for affordable housing owners, who must cover utility expenses from tight operating budgets, and for market-rate property managers watching rising water costs pressure rental pricing.

To combat this hidden waste, H2O Degree offers a point-of-use submetering solution specifically designed to support both leak detection and full billing capabilities. For affordable housing, this technology is often used solely for leak detection, enabling maintenance teams to identify and resolve issues — like continuously running toilets or dripping faucets — before they escalate. By pinpointing usage down to individual toilets or fixtures, these systems provide real- time insights that can reduce water waste by up to 30%.

In market-rate communities, the same technology also supports accurate resident billing, covered later in this article.

Submetering that Sees More

H2O Degree’s point-of-use submetering solution starts with the L54120+ wireless, battery powered water meter. The compact L54120+ meter captures granular water usage data, including the number of “events” — a toilet flush, or whenever waterflow starts and stops

— in gallons and time.

Every hour, a wireless radio unit in the L54120+ meter sends this data through a long-range, wide-area network (LoRaWAN) in the building, then onto a cloud-based server.

Daily leak detection reports are then emailed to building managers, supers and owners so maintenance teams can fix the leak as soon as possible. If severe leaks are detected, emergency emails and text message reports are sent immediately.

Easy installation on point-of-use locations makes the meters particularly cost-effective for older buildings or those with riser piping, where installing other submetering systems would involve costly and disruptive re-piping and cutting through walls.

Similarly, the LoRaWAN system communicates with the meters without relying on the building’s IT infrastructure and reduces/eliminates the need for engaging with the building’s IT department. The system also offers simpler, cost-effective installation with no need for hardwiring or electricians. And unlike competitive submetering systems that run on a WiFi wireless “mesh” network, the LoRaWAN system doesn’t require a dedicated PC or a network of repeaters throughout the building, cutting hardware and installation costs even more.