A person simply cannot live without using water resources. The exact rate of water consumption per citizen of our country is ambiguous and depends on the specific region in which he lives. The density of inhabitants per square meter varies significantly in individual cities, and therefore the norm and price per cubic meter of water used will also be different.
When calculating the cost of water supply, the data of those citizens who have an individual metering device and accurate information about the amount of water they use are initially taken into account.
The total values of the devices of these people are subtracted from the data on the total amount of water used for a certain period and are divided in equal shares among the residents whose premises do not have such a device.
When the volume of consumption is determined strictly according to the standard
The norm per person per month is established by the relevant regulations of the current legislative bodies at the local level. In certain regions of the state it may differ significantly and be higher or lower than others.
According to the standard, the volume is calculated only in the following situations:
- there is no collective flow meter in the building;
- meter data has not been transmitted for more than six months;
- if the owner or tenant repeatedly refuses to provide the data of the measuring device;
- if the meter breaks down or the end of its service life (if it was not promptly replaced with a new one or repaired).
State legislation is structured in such a way that all residents and management companies install water meters.
This is very important, since the norms of average water consumption per inhabitant, as well as payment for the use of this resource, can only be calculated from the volumes determined using a meter.
Average water consumption rate
It is quite difficult to calculate such a rate of water consumption in the country, since not all citizens have water meters installed. To determine it, it is worth considering the following:
- average water use in the region, established by local authorities;
- the rate of water consumption by one person in those private buildings and high-rise buildings that do not have an installed water meter;
- accurate data on water use meters in those premises where the number of citizens is equivalent to citizens living in buildings not equipped with water meters.
The average rate is significantly influenced by inevitable factors, such as:
- local climate;
- availability of improved and more efficient equipment, as well as its performance;
- season.
Only after carefully studying all of the above can you calculate the average rate of water consumption, and it is as follows:
- up to 160 liters are allocated for those who do not have a bathroom;
- about 230 liters are required if the house has a bathroom and an individual heating device;
- about 350 liters if the premises are connected to a centralized water supply with hot water.
An important factor is the availability of household appliances that residents have. If they are present in the room, the average water consumption rate can be significantly reduced.
For example, a washing machine and the presence of an economy mode in the drain tank reduce the average consumption rate by more than 10%, and a dishwasher can save almost 20%. If appliances are not working properly, water consumption only increases.
In the Russian Federation, the average rate of cold water consumed by a person is determined to be over 6.9 cubic meters per month. The standard for using hot water is significantly lower, amounting to only 4.7 cubic meters.
Legal norm for cold water consumption
In Russia there are legally established standards regulating the consumption of cold and hot tap water. They were adopted back in mid-1998, but have not yet been revised or changed.
According to the bill, the standard for cold water consumption is 6.9 cubic meters. It can be significantly increased by local authorities, but the increase should not be more than double.
This volume of water consumed by a person takes into account the following costs:
- for drinking and cooking;
- for individual hygiene procedures (take a bath, brush your teeth, etc.);
- for wet cleaning of the premises and operation of various household appliances;
- other expenses.
According to many citizens, the standard for cold water consumption is significantly higher, but you will have to pay according to it if a flow meter is not installed in an apartment or multi-storey building. It is impossible to challenge it if there is no accurate data about the water used by the resident.
What are multiplying factors?
If there are no flow meters, but their installation is possible, so-called increasing factors apply. That is, the payment for water increases slightly - for 2021 it is 1.5. This law was introduced in 2021, and in accordance with it, household expenses are increasing.
This measure was introduced to ensure that citizens of the country install meters in their apartments. It is also necessary to install common house appliances necessary to control the amount of water used throughout the house.
Norm of centralized hot water consumption
Hot water supplied to people from the central water supply is calculated for everyone who is registered in the residential premises. It is also calculated for those people who do not actually live in it, so in premises without special measuring instruments, the overpayments for its consumption will be huge.
An invoice for used hot water is issued even in situations where no one lives in the home at all, but is only registered.
Hot water usage rates may also be increased locally to the extent permitted by law. If you look at the statistical data, you can easily see that throughout the Russian Federation it is at an extremely high level.
This makes it possible for government agencies and resource supply companies to charge the maximum amount for the use of hot water. The actual consumption of the average person for immediate needs is no higher than 140 liters per month.
Water supply standards in the capital
Legal standards for water supply, as well as for wastewater disposal in Moscow are at the following level:
- hot water supply - 4.7 cubic meters;
- cold water supply – 6.9 cubic meters;
- drainage within 11.7 cubic meters.
A similar calculation is established for one person living in the premises. Accordingly, the more people are registered in the apartment, the higher the payment for water consumption will be.
It is possible to reduce costs for hot and cold central water supply only if the room has an individual device for measuring the water consumed.
As can be seen from bitter practice, even in the capital the water consumption rate is significantly overestimated. Many citizens who paid according to the average calculation, and then installed water meters and were able to significantly reduce costs.
Water meter and savings
If meters are not installed in your living space, then you will pay the norm monthly, regardless of whether you lived in the apartment at any time and whether you used the services.
Let's say that you and your whole family went to live in the country during the summer. It turns out that at this time not a single drop is spilled in your apartment. But the fact is that the organization that supplies water to your home does not know about this. Receipts will arrive with the same amounts as before. What will the situation be if you have meters installed? In this case, all your expenses will be clearly recorded using the device. The only thing you need to do is report the data to the water supply organization.
If we consider the rest of the period when you are in your living space, using water according to the meter, there is no need to be afraid that you are using too much of it. Even if you take a bath every day, do laundry, wash floors, cook food and wash dishes - more than the established norm, which people without a meter pay for, is difficult to use. Real consumption is often 2 or even 3 times less (speaking, again, about averages). And so you pay exactly for the amount you used.
How is water consumption calculated in a private home?
The average norm does not divide people into residents of high-rise buildings and owners of private houses. The use of water resources is considered the same for everyone, although owners of private houses consume significantly more water than those living in apartments.
The indicator of water use in a private house is as follows:
- in country houses and cottages, at least 4 cubic meters per hour are consumed (especially if the residents live in them permanently);
- with continuous use, consumption is at least 6 cubic meters per 1 hour;
- 2 cubic meters of water are consumed to irrigate a personal plot.
Calculating water use indicators in a private house is much more difficult to carry out than in apartment buildings.
They largely depend not on the amount of water used per person’s life, but on the amount spent on caring for the garden.
Consumption is even more difficult to calculate if there is a large swimming pool or pond on the property. Replacing water in them entails significant costs.
All data are national averages. They can be significantly higher or lower in its individual parts and depend on the equipment whose task is to distribute and consume water. The exact water consumption in individual residential buildings can be established already at the design stage.
Is it possible to reduce water consumption costs?
To significantly reduce payments for the use of water resources, it is necessary to install a high-quality metering device. There is no other way to save, since for residents who do not have a water meter, the volume of water used is calculated according to the generally accepted norm.
If an appropriate meter is installed in a house or apartment, the owner can independently control consumption. Payment will be made only for the water actually used, and not according to the norm for everyone who lives or is simply registered in this premises.
It is also worth noting that when installing meters in many apartments of multi-storey buildings, other residents will have to significantly overpay for water consumption. This is especially noticeable when several apartments are equipped with a water measuring device.
The legislative framework
Government Decree No. 354 provides information regarding the provision of housing and communal services. There are also formulas with which you can calculate the volume of water consumed. They differ depending on whether a water meter is installed in the apartment.
Over the past 30 years, there have been no changes in water consumption standards. However, these values vary depending on the type of residential building.
Prices for 1 m3 of water are set by local authorities in all regions. In this case, the norms from Federal Law No. 210-FZ must be taken into account.
Water consumption standards are regulated in the following situations:
- if there are no common meters in a residential building;
- if the deadlines for sending data are not met and several months in a row are missed (more than six months);
- when the tenant refuses to provide water meter readings;
- in case of malfunction of the metering device and the need to replace it.
Such laws are aimed at ensuring that citizens install flow meters. Otherwise, they will have to pay fixed rates, which could result in actual costs being several times higher.
How can you reduce your water consumption?
By reducing water consumption, a person not only reduces the payment for its use, but also protects the environment. Water is a natural resource and there is a huge amount of it on our planet, but this does not mean that it should be used thoughtlessly and irrationally.
To save consumption, you should avoid taking a bath. To bathe in a bath, you need tens of times more volume than for a shower, and the consumption of hot water will be significantly greater to maintain the optimal bathing temperature. If possible, it is best to use a shower.
You can also save on the cistern. New tanks are equipped with special buttons that can operate in several modes.
Economy mode allows you to reduce the use of water per flush by half, and this is a significant amount.
Modern equipment, such as a new washing machine, can also significantly save water. Older models consume 50 more water for washing and rinsing than new ones, and therefore it is worth thinking about buying a new model of such equipment.
The serviceability of the entire system also helps to save money. No one would have thought that a simple dripping faucet would significantly increase water consumption. To reduce the cost of services, it is necessary to repair the water supply system in the apartment.
How to save your family budget when paying for water
To reduce resource consumption, consumers can resort to the following measures:
- install individual metering devices;
- use special equipment that reduces the amount of water consumed.
When installing a home water supply, it is important to optimally select the diameter of the pipe, which also affects flow rates.
The listed measures are equally justified for residents of MKD apartments and owners of private housing.
With the meter installed
If the consumer took care of installing a meter, the utility bill for this item will be significantly reduced. The explanations are simple:
- residents pay for consumed resources, having the opportunity to reduce payments, saving costs;
- the use of upward adjustments when calculating prices is excluded;
- if no one lives at home for some time, there is no expense, as well as payment.
Taking into account the above factors, the amount in bills will be halved.
Use of special equipment
The use of such technical measures and equipment will help save resources:
- a shower cabin installed instead of a bathtub - the volume of water for these needs will be halved;
- purchased water intended for preparing daily meals - in a month you can reduce consumption by 50 liters;
- dishwasher - saving a fifth of the resources for washing dishes;
- automatic washing machine - with an increase in washing volumes, carried out less frequently than before, the volume of water consumed can be reduced by up to 10 percent;
- an economical toilet cistern operating in on-off mode and economical shut-off valves - consumption will decrease by 15 percent.
It is important to understand in which situations you can reduce consumption by being smart about your use of resources. If you turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, you save 5-15 liters of water every minute.
If you approach resource consumption and household organization wisely, you can save significantly on utility bills. Knowledge of consumption standards and calculation of payment tariffs will allow you to find ways to reduce water costs.
It should be remembered that payment according to standards is a deliberate overstatement of the amount of payments, so installing a meter is the only correct solution to reduce the amount of bills from utility organizations.
