Many apartment-complex owners are installing water meters for each apartment and billing the occupants according to the amount of water they use. This is in contrast to the former procedure of having a central meter for the entire complex and dividing up the collective water expense as part of the rent. Where individual meters have been installed, water usage has declined 10 to 40 percent. This decline in water usage
will occur only in the short run, then people will return to their old habits.
would have been expected only if the water use was initially metered.
would be expected since people have to pay the cost of their own use.
is the result of higher water rates passed by the city
