Nowhere in New England packs more renters into less space than Somerville, Massachusetts, and the building doing the packing is the triple-decker: three units, one owner, and almost always one water meter. That arrangement quietly hands the owner every tenant’s water usage in a state where water and sewer rates rank among the country’s steepest. Water submetering separates it out. Somerville’s rental market runs on individual landlords leasing to Tufts students, young professionals, and families who relocate constantly, none of whom see a water bill or have any reason to think about one. True Submeter installs an individual water meter on each unit and sends every tenant an automatic monthly invoice for their own usage. Consumption drops once water has a price attached to it, the arguments over who ran up the bill end, and net operating income rises. Massachusetts places particular conditions on billing tenants for water, so check the requirements for your property before starting.
