Water meters - installation and application

Water meters must be installed and used only in accordance with applicable laws in the ACT. In particular, meters must be installed (by Icon Water or a licensed plumber) before water is extracted from Canberra’s network. Non-compliance can cause contamination and other operational issues with the water network. When dealing with 20mm services you may find a yellow lock-out tag attached to the isolation ball valve. These tags serve as a physical reminder that water meters must be installed prior to water abstraction.

Owners and/or builders are also reminded that taking water without a metered connection is a serious offence, punishable with significant penalties and/or imprisonment. We reserve all rights to pursue legal remedies, including recovery of any associated meter replacement and consumption costs.

To avoid this, please ensure you are familiar with the installation guide and requirements for plumbers and renovators:

For new connections, water meters will only be issued with a ‘Commencement notice for plumbing and/or drainage work’ number. Temporary meters are exempt from this requirement. Water meters must then be installed before any water is extracted from Icon Water’s network to ensure that: 

• water is accurately measured and accounted for; and 
• minimum backflow prevention measures are in place 
  • 20mm and 25mm water meters have non testable dual check valves incorporated into their bodies (additional backflow prevention measures may be required based on the site hazard rating) 
  • Meters greater than 25mm do not have a backflow prevention device incorporated and the onus is on the plumber to ensure that a suitable device is fitted downstream of the meter. 

If you have any questions or want further information contact us on (02) 6248 3111 we are here to help.