MSD Private Meter Program
The Louisville MSD Private Meter Program is for industrial and commercial customers who discharge wastewater volumes to the sewer that differ significantly from the amount of water flowing into their facilities. The volume of water that flows into a building for most businesses is roughly equal to the volume of water drained to the sewer as it leaves the building. Billing in those cases is based only on the meter measuring incoming water volume.
Some businesses discharge volumes that are much lower than their intake volume because significant amounts of water are absorbed in their production processes. Others have higher sewer discharge volumes because of additives picked up in the water flow during processing. In either case, a private meter will yield more accurate billing based on measurement of the net outflow.
Three Types of Private Meter Setups
Deduct Meter
A deduct meter is used to measure and deduct water flow that is being fed into an industrial or commercial production process. Use of a deduct meter requires that 100 percent of water flow being measured and deducted is used in production and is not entering the outgoing sewer discharge.
Deduct Meter Application
Cooling Tower Combination Metering
Cooling towers and boiler systems may pair a makeup/deduct meter with a bleed/additive meter. Makeup and bleed meters are installed on each cooling tower and any boiler systems that have a sewer discharge. The Makeup meter measures water going into the cooling tower or boiler while the bleed meter measures what is discharged to the sewer.
Cooling Tower Meter Application
Wastewater Meter
A wastewater meter measures what a facility discharges to the MSD sewer system. Facilities that cannot accommodate deduct meters can use wastewater meters. All discharge must be measured at the meter.
Wastewater Application
Private Meter Regulations
The Private Meter Program is regulated by Article III of the MSD Wastewater/Stormwater Discharge Regulations that governs private water system discharge entering the public sewer system and credit for metered water not entering the public sewer system.
The MSD Private Meter Program may not be used for sewer credits on irrigation systems, pools, or spas. For irrigation system information, contact Louisville Water Company at 888-535-6262. For pool credits contact MSD Customer Service at CustomerRelations@louisvillemsd.org or 502-540-6000.
Private Meter Costs
Costs associated with the MSD Private Meter Program include purchase and installation of the private meters, transition from reduced regular volume rate to the metered volume rate, and the metering and billing fees charged for obtaining and reading the private meter readings.
Cost Considerations
