What water costs without meters
Without meters, water charges are calculated using a standard allowance (norm) for each registered resident. If a meter can technically be installed but isn't, a multiplier is applied to the norm. From 6 December 2025 it is 3 for cold water (Government Resolution No. 1871 of 25.11.2025) and 1.5 for hot water.
Example for Moscow. A family of three without meters pays about 14,800 ₽ a month for water. With meters, at 3 m³ of cold and 2 m³ of hot water per person, it's about 3,830 ₽. The savings are over 10,900 ₽ a month, and installing two meters for 8,000 ₽ pays off in less than a month.
How to install meters
- Buy meters with a technical passport and a record of initial verification. Check that the meter is listed in the Federal Information Fund for Ensuring the Uniformity of Measurements (FGIS "Arshin").
- Install them yourself or with a plumber. Each riser gets its own meter.
- Submit a request to your management company or utility provider to commission the meters. Sealing is free and is done no later than a month after the request.
- From the 1st of the following month you pay by meter readings.
Verification and replacement
The verification interval is stated in the meter's passport — usually 4–6 years for hot water and 6 years for cold. The service life is about 12 years. If a meter isn't verified or replaced on time, after three months charges will again be calculated by the norm with the multiplier.
Some categories of residents can have meters installed free of charge or with compensation: tenants of social housing, low-income households, veterans, people with disability group I or II. The conditions are set by the region.