Few places in the country pay more for water than the East Bay, which makes Oakland an expensive city to own rental property in when the water is bundled into rent. The housing here is exactly the kind that makes it costly: Victorians split into flats, 1920s stucco fourplexes, and small apartment buildings across Temescal, Fruitvale, and East Oakland, nearly all served by a single meter and owned by individuals. Tenants who never see a bill have no reason to run less. Water submetering gives each unit its own reading. True Submeter handles the metering and sends every tenant an automatic monthly invoice for what they actually used, so usage lands with the person creating it rather than the owner. Consumption falls, the shared-bill arguments stop, and net operating income improves. Oakland regulates rents and utility charges closely, so check the current local requirements before changing how you bill.
