Troubleshooting High Water Usage

If you’ve noticed a sudden increase in your water usage or are concerned about your consumption, follow these steps to investigate possible causes.

Step 1: Confirm Your Water Usage

To determine whether the increased consumption is a new or ongoing issue, follow these steps on your meter keypad:

1. Check Your Updated Balance:
• Press 604 followed by the red enter button on the meter keypad to reset the connection and display the correct available balance.
• Press 600 followed by the red enter button to view the total units used.
2. Review Your Purchase History:
• Check your token purchase history for the past 3 - 4 months to see if your usage has changed.
• Copy the date and token value into a spreadsheet to calculate your total monthly usage.
• Ensure all purchased tokens have been correctly loaded onto the meter.

If your purchases and usage have increased, you can perform self-checks before requesting further assistance.

Step 2: Self-Checks for High Water Usage

1. Checking for ‘Ghost Usage’ (Unexpected Water Consumption)

• Take a photo of your meter's available balance or total usage.
• Turn off the main water valve to your unit overnight or for at least an hour.
• Reopen the valve and check if the balance has changed:
• If usage increased while the valve was closed, this may indicate that:
• Your meter is swapped with another unit’s meter.
• The meter is tracking usage incorrectly.

2. Verifying Meter Calibration

• Take a photo of the available balance or total usage.
• Use a measured amount of water:
• Fill a 5L container or flush the toilet (8–10L depending on the model).
• Compare the recorded usage on the meter:
• 5L should register as 0.005 units.
• If the reading is incorrect, the meter may require recalibration.

Step 3: Check for Common Household Leaks

Before requesting a technician, check the following potential sources of water loss:

Dripping Taps or Running Toilets – Even a slow drip can significantly increase consumption.
Geyser Leaks – Check your geyser (if accessible) for any visible drips.
Pressure Control Valve (PCV) Leaks – Inspect the main shut-off valve for any leaks. A small drip can worsen when a tap is opened.

Step 4: When to Request a Technician

If your self-checks indicate a potential meter issue, you can request a technician to inspect or replace the meter.

Important Note:

• The water meter is not owned by STss. If the installation is out of warranty (beyond one year), the cost of a replacement meter will be charged to either the unit owner or the scheme, depending on ownership.
• If a technician is dispatched and the cause of high usage is found to be one of the common issues listed above (such as a leaking tap, running toilet, or geyser leak), the call-out fee will be for the owner's account.
  

If you need further assistance, please contact us.