California SB7 Submetering Compliance Solutions

California SB7 requires water submetering in all new construction as of January 1, 2018.

SB7 Overview
• Signed by the CA Governor 9/25/16.
• SB7 – Chapter 623 requires submetering in all new construction multi-family
dwellings after 1/1/18.
• The bill requires tenants to be billed on actual usage, no estimates or allocations.
• Leaks must be repaired by management with 21 days.
• Goal is to hold tenants accountable and encourage conservation while providing consumer protection.


What Is California Senate Bill SB7?
California recently passed Senate Bill SB7 which encourages responsible water use and conservation by requiring water meters and submeters in apartments and other multi-family residential buildings.

SB7 requires owners of multi-unit rental properties constructed after January 1, 2018 to provide residents with accurate information about the volume and cost of their water use through their own individual submeters. The bill also requires residents
to be billed for water based on actual usage and not estimation or other methodology.


Quick Fact: A US EPA study found that submetering provided significant water savings, averaging 15.3% — or 21.8 gallons — per unit, per day.


“Eighty percent of 15.6 million Californians living in apartments or other multi-family housing facilities are not billed for their water use, meaning nearly a third of the state’s population doesn’t know how much water they’re using or how much they are charged based on their use,” said Senator Lois Wolk. “Given the extent of the
drought and the need for greater water conservation in California, all of the state’s residents should be armed with the knowledge of how much water they’re using to help them reduce their water waste.”

H2O Degree SB7 Support
• Product selection & payback analysis.
• Engineering design and layout of meter system.
• Contractor training & certification.
• Coordination of local meter approval & sealing
• Interface to the leading meter reading service providers process (RBCs).