Glossary of terms used on this site

A notice by the AMR system that something function in it is outside acceptable parameters. For example, a meter that has not registered any advancement over a long period of time would generate a “non-advancing meter” alert. See also: burst pipe alert, non-advancing meter alert, possible tampering alert, and slow-leak alert.

The basis by which utility expenses are apportioned to users. Common types include unit count, occupant count, occupant ratio, square footage, and a combination of occupant count and square footage. Less common types include bathroom count and fixture count. Essentially, all allocation types use some sort of rule of thumb to guess how much water was used.

Acronym for Automated Meter Reading. A technology used in utility meters for collecting the data that is needed for billing, administration, and management purposes. AMR works by extracting consumption reads in either pulse or encoded format from the meters and transmitting the information to a control center. AMR technology does not require physical access or visual inspection.

A term probably derived from the trucking industry; in submetering it is taken to mean getting data to a point from which it can be distributed over a network (usually the Internet). See also: GPRS, LAN, WiFi.

Acronym for best management practice(s).

The ability to transmit digital information over a cellular network. There are many protocols to enable this process including GPRS and UMTS.

Software package that receives measurement data from the Gateway and can be used to analyze it and transform it for use in billing.

A frequently used unit of water measurement, one cubic foot is equal to 7.48 U.S. gallons

Acronym for Data Collection Unit. In an AMR system, a legacy central device that collects usage data from meters. Also known as Data Collector Device, Central Station and other, similar variations. DCUs are slightly outdated technology and are generally being phased out.

Acronym for “dwelling unit”

A water, gas, or electricity meter whose output can be read digitally. Encoded meters are both more accurate and more expensive than Pulse meters.

Alternate name for a radio transmitter attached to a meter.

Environmental Protection Agency

Energy Policy Act, signed into law by President Bush in 1992. Mandated exclusive manufacture of 1.6 gpf toilets as well as low-flow aerators and showerheads.

Acronym for the Federal Communications Commission. The Federal agency in charge of regulating telecommunications of all sorts.

More complete, more precise name for AMR that recognizes that there are older, more primitive forms of AMR such as ‘walk-by’ and ‘drive-by’.

Part of a master metered or resident utility bill that is not affected by consumption.

The radio frequency used by the AMR system's transmitters to connect to its Gateway, Receivers, and Repeaters.

In an AMR system, the central device that receives, transforms, and channels the data from the transmitters and onto the Internet for use by the system’s Control Center.

Acronym for General Packet Radio Service. A highly reliable (if slightly slower) protocol for Cellular data used in GSM mobile phone networks.

Hundred Cubic Feet. Typical unit of measure for water used by utilities.

The practice of estimating a resident’s total water usage based on metered hot water usage.

The practice of estimating a resident’s total water usage based on metered hot water usage. Also, Hot water hybrid

Multi-family properties that are using a billing method where residents receive a regular bill determined by a system such as submetering, RUBS, or hot water hybrid, etc.

Multi-family properties that do not separately bill residents for water and/or wastewater, rather these costs are recovered as part of the monthly rent. In properties where utilities are billed in rent, lower occupancy units effectively subsidize the water consumption of the units with more occupants.

The installation of meters for each individual dwelling unit as well as separate common are metering with the local water utility providing customer read, bill and collect services.

The International Protection Rating (IP) classifies the degrees of protection provided against the intrusion of solid objects, dust, accidental contact, and water in electrical enclosures. The numeral 6 in IP-68 stands for protection against water from powerful jets from any direction; the numeral 8 stands for protection against immersion in over 1 meter (3 feet) of water. AMR transmitters used in manufactured housing, marinas, and RV parks must be IP-68 compliant.

Kilo-gallons or thousands of gallons. Typical unit of measure for water used by utilities. Equal to 748 cubic feet.

Acronym for Local Area Network. The data network that connects a specific site to the wider Internet. In the AMR context, a Gateway might use a LAN cable connection to access the Internet and send its data onto the Control Center.

In AMR, a radio frequency licensed by the FCC for a specific site. Having a licensed frequency for an AMR site means that there will be less disruptions to the transmission of data.

A part of a meter register that indicates any flow through the meter. Also called a leak detector.

When a single meter measures utility usage for an entire property, or an entire building, which usually includes the common areas.

A device that measures utility usage.

Mechanical device that uses a system of gear reductions to integrate the rotation of the moving element of a meter’s metering chamber into numerical units

Meter Interface Unit. A device that translates meter data prior to transmission to a receiver. Also known as a Telemetry Interface Unit.

National Institute of Standards and Technology.

An alarm alerting the AMR site’s manager that a meter has shown no consumption for an extended period of time. This might be due to tampering, malfunction, or extended occupant absences. See also Unusual consumption alerts.

A type of submetering where only a portion of the total water consumption in each unit is measured.

The amount of the master metered utility bill allocated to residents. Also see Common Area Deduction.

A meter that measures water flow at the actual usage point, such as a faucet or a toilet.

Subjecting a full water system to maximum normal pressure (or normal pressure plus a safety factor) against a closed downstream shut-off.

Public Utilities Commission.

A water, gas, or electricity meter whose output is a series of electrical pulses, each one representing a specific quantity consumed (e.g. 10 or 100 gallons of water). Pulse meters are less accurate but more affordable than Encoded meters.

An acronym that stands for Read, Bill, and Collect. Usually a company that contracts with property owners to manage their utility consumption and payment collection.

In a Radio Frequency (RF) based AMR system, the device that receives the meter data transmissions. These transmissions can then be forwarded to either a WAN Gateway or a central data collection device

In a Radio Frequency (RF) based AMR system, the device that receives and amplifies the meter RF signals in order to transmit them to the Receiver.

An acronym that stands for Radio Frequency.

An acronym that stands for Ratio Utility Billing System, which is a calculation method that uses a compensation factor to allocate costs among users. It also stands for Residential Utility Billing System. In using RUBS, residents are not actually charged for what the amount of water they used, rather, a fairly crude formula is used to apportion a fragment of the total bill to them.

Generally used to describe either a submetering/billing service provider or a provider of utilities.

An alarm alerting the AMR site’s manager that a specific property’s usage appears to indicate the presence of a slowly leaking appliance, usually but not always a toilet. See also Unusual consumption alerts.

The practice of using meters to measure mater-metered utility consumption by individual users. Also see, partial-capture submetering and total-capture submetering.

A device that translates meter data prior to transmission to a receiver. Also known as a Meter Interface Unit (see MIU).

A type of submetering where all of the actual water consumption in each unit is measured.

A Radio Frequency (RF) system component that sends usage data from a Meter to a Receiver.

Used alternately to describe a provided natural resource, such as water, gas, or electricity as well as for the provider of the resource (also see Service Provider)

Determining resident charges for utilities by means of a formula rather than measured usage.

Legacy AMR technology where measuring personnel would have to walk by a meter in order for their radio receivers to pick up the metering data. See also: Drive-by AMR.

Acronym for Wide Area Network. A data network used over a large area, frequently used interchangeably with ‘Internet’.

Normally corresponds to the pipe bore, for example 1”. For some models a second designation refers to the matching pipe end connections. For example, a 5/8” x 3/4” meter has a nominal 5/8” and 3/4" straight pipe threads.

A wireless version of the LAN. In the AMR context, a Gateway might use a WiFi connection to access the Internet and send its data onto the Control Center.

Wastewater