Master Meter

A single utility meter that measures total park-wide consumption, billed to the operator.

A master meter is a single utility meter at the park level that records the total water, electric, or gas consumption for the entire park. The utility company bills the operator for the total, and the operator either absorbs the cost (rolling it into lot rent), passes it through via submetering, or allocates it via billback. Master-meter setups are common in older parks and are simpler to install but force the operator to either absorb usage variability or implement an allocation system that residents may dispute.

Related Terms

Submetering

Installing individual utility meters per lot so each resident pays only for their own usage.
Utility Billback

Charging residents back for the cost of utilities the operator initially pays at the master meter.

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