Water meter installation and control

A water meter in your home or business

The water meter measures how much water you use, and we use this information to calculate your monthly bill. All the information you need about the maintenance and control of water meters and smart meters, as well as some practical tips, can be found here.

Water meter control and verification

Instead of the previous five years, the meter verification period is now ten years. As a result, a water meter can operate at a customer’s premises for its full lifespan, i.e. 10 years.
As part of the control process, we remove the old meter and install a new one that has been verified.
A new meter may have been used before, but it is always controlled and in good condition.
The control is carried out by Metrosert.

If you suspect a fault

You can order an expert assessment of the reading accuracy from AS Metrosert.
For an expert assessment, please e-mail at tvesi@tvesi.ee.
If the meter is in good condition, the customer pays the costs. If the meter is faulty, we will pay the costs and offset if necessary.

If an expert assessment reveals that:

the water meter's reading error exceeds the permitted margin at least at one point (i.e. if it is to the customer's disadvantage), the customer does not have to pay for the assessment. We will offset their water consumption for the previous six calendar months according to the percentage of the reading error, incl. the days of the calendar month in which the reading accuracy of the meter was assessed, until a new meter is installed;
the water meter's reading error is negative (i.e. if it favours the customer), the customer does not have to pay for the assessment and no additional fees will be charged.

Remotely read water meter

We will replace all water meters in our service area with smart meters, which can be read remotely, by the end of 2026 at the latest. This means that you no longer need to submit your meter readings, because your meter will automatically transmit the data.

When and where will the meters be installed?

The meters will be installed for all customers, following our regular water meter verification programme.
New meters will also be installed for all customers connecting for the first time.
In apartment buildings, the main water meter will be replaced. The responsibility for the meters in apartments lies with the apartment association.

How does the smart meter work?

The meter has a built-in e-SIM card that sends the customer's consumption data to us once a day.
The smart meter uses mobile data communication to transmit data. The network service is provided by Telia Eesti AS.
The water meter runs on a built-in battery and does not require a power supply.
Customers will still be able to view their readings both in the self-service portal and on the meter itself.
If an error message is displayed on the meter reading (see here for more details), both the meter reading and the error message will be sent to us as soon as it occurs. Problems with coverage will not affect the performance or reading accuracy of the meter. If data transmission fails the first time, the meter will attempt to transmit the data again at the next scheduled time and we will receive the readings with a slight delay. If an alarm is active, you will see an icon on the meter screen or a "Warning" icon with an error code.

What you need to know

Replacing the meter is free of charge.
We will contact the customer approximately three months before the end of the verification period and arrange a time for installing the smart meter.
Any remote reading devices of your own must be removed before replacement. We cannot guarantee that our smart meter will be compatible with your system in the future.
We will only install the meter if the water metering unit complies with the technical requirements.
If the water meter is damaged, it will immediately send us an alarm notification.

Mechanical water meter

If you still have a mechanical water meter, you must submit the readings yourself at the time agreed in the contract. Readings must be submitted even if there has been no consumption.

For mechanical water meters, you need to submit the black numbers or white numbers on a black background, indicating cubic meters.

Compliant water metering unit

For the meter to be installed, the water metering unit must comply with the technical requirements. This not only ensures that the meter works correctly, but also reduces the risk of water incidents.

The pipe section upstream and downstream of the meter must be straight.
Stop valves must be installed both upstream and downstream of the meter.
A non-return valve is required.
If the metering unit does not comply with the requirements, it must be brought into compliance before installation.

What you need to know

If you need to turn off water for work, please give us at least two business days' notice by calling 626 2400 or e-mailing at tvesi@tvesi.ee
Once the work is finished, please e-mail a photo of the water metering unit to the same e-mail address.
We will contact you to arrange a time for installing the smart meter. Alternatively, you can call the information line on 626 2200.

Although we don’t offer any services related to work on the property, we have put together a list of recommended service providers to help you with the work you need.

Tips for winter

Exposure to the cold can cause pipes to burst and water meters to break, resulting in water damage and additional costs. Follow these tips to avoid frost damage.

Keep the water metering unit warm

The room temperature in the water metering unit must not drop below +3 °C.
Close the doors and windows to avoid draughts.
Check the insulation of windows. Single-pane basement windows need additional insulation, such as covering with wool or foam plastic.

Insulate the pipes and meter

Use special pipe insulation or an insulating material. Insulation material used for water pipes should be at least 9 mm thick, this will also protect the pipes from condensation in summer.
Don't forget insulation around fittings and valves.
If the room in the water metering unit has sub-zero temperatures and little or no water consumption, pipe insulation alone may not protect against freezing. In this case, you can use a heating cable installed underneath the insulating materials.

Check and maintain regularly

Make sure that the hatch or door of the water metering unit closes tightly.
Clear any debris from the room and make sure the drain is working properly to prevent water from collecting and freezing.

If you're going to be away for a while

Turn off the main water tap and drain the pipes.
If necessary, leave the heater at a low temperature to prevent freezing.
If the house is going to be unoccupied during the winter, turn off the water at the connection point and remove the water meter. For this, please contact us. After that, open all the taps to drain the pipes of water.