Is there a way to track the water usage of a single apartment?

Question

I'd like to know if there is some way to do this. Also, is there a way to track the one apartment's usage of the water heater?

There are 9 units in this building, but we only want to track the usage in one apartment, separate from the others.

Answer 1

There are small in-line meters made for this purpose.
Contact a large plumbing supply house.

Answer 2

I take it from the fact that you only want to track one apartment,that you are looking for a leak,rather than a tenant with a suspected indoor pool.
The easiest way is to give the tenant a blue dye tablet to put in the toilet tank(s). Wait a few minutes,and look in the bowl to see if the water turned blue. If it did,you have a leak. Do this in all your apartments,and you'll be suprised at how much water you save by stopping those "pestky little leaks".
Another way to do this is to turn off the water supply to each apartment at the mains,and look at the meter. Is it still spinning? If it is,you have leaks. You'll need to replace the seals in every sink,and valve in the building to stop them all (about $75 in parts cost)and check every tiolet for seepage using the dye,and possibly replace all the floats and parts in them (about $15 per toilet).
Logically,if the meter is not spinning when you turn off all nine valves,then turn them on one at a time,and check the meter until it spins again. THATS where you have the leaks.Then see above.
Worst case scenario is that even after checking all the sinks and toilets in the building,and you still have the meter spinning (even slowly),you have "ground seepage". That means the main line going into the building is leaking into the walls or the ground under the building. This means you have to call a contractor,and have some MAJOR repairs. Break out your check book,this is gonna be painfull !!

Answer 3

The legalities of this could bring some problems, invasion of privacy, "big brother" laws, etc. I don't think you really want to get yourself into this type of situation.

But, in case you do, you can use yellow dye packets that are dropped into the toilet and flushed. A Sewer line Company would have these, "Roto-Ruter" IE
You can petition the building owner or manager to put in meters but, remember, you may be getting something you don't want.

Answer 4

instal water meters - most new apartments here (which is probably not where you are) have separate meters for water / gas / hot water.

Answer 5

Install a meter.

Answer 6

there is a flow meter which can be attached to the pipe which will measure the water

Answer 7

PUT A METER ON IT'S FEED PIPE.