Water metering policies in the former Soviet Union: lessons from Lviv,Ukraine

A study of the feasibility of installing domestic water meters in Lviv, Ukraine, was undertaken. A driving force behind the study was the key role that metering plays in determining optimal water demand management strategies. Because many laws, regulations, operations, and construction practices were standardized throughout the Soviet Union, domestic water metering strategies determined to be operable in Lviv may have some application to other former Soviet Union cities. Results indicate that, although water metering of individual apartment units in Lviv is not financially feasible when paid for by the water utility, water metering at the building level, when combined with other elements of demand management and cost recovery strategies, may enable local water infrastructure authorities to devise ways of putting their utilities on a financially sustainable basis.