Water meter shafts for a garden area
In Germany, the construction of suitable house connection or supply rooms is increasingly being dispensed with in new builds or renovations of existing properties. In these cases, the water meter shaft is an optimal and common alternative for the installation of a water meter system. By using a shaft, the transfer point of the water supplier, and thus the responsibility, shifts from inside the building to the property boundary - the supplier can access the water meter easily and at any time. The water meter shaft is not only the solution for house connections - allotments, campsites, cemeteries, sports grounds or vacation home complexes also benefit from the advantages of a shaft.
Date: 05.12.2023 | Reading time: 4. Min.
Installation in compliance with the regulations
In Fellbach, Baden-Württemberg, the decision was made to convert the house connections of a garden complex to a shaft solution. The individual properties in the complex were originally connected directly and the corresponding meters were located in the buildings. As the houses are not always occupied, it was difficult and time-consuming to read the meters regularly. It was therefore decided to install the meters outside the building.
When installing water meter systems, the requirements of DIN EN 805, DIN EN 806, DIN 1988, DIN EN 1717, DVGW worksheet W570 and W270, among others, must be observed. In addition, the guidelines of the Federal Environment Agency and the regulations of the local water supply companies apply.
For large, accessible shafts, time-consuming entry into the shaft is required. The non-accessible shaft variants commonly used today are much more user-friendly, as they can be operated by a single person. However, the water meter has to be pulled out of the shaft using complex kinematics or together with the hoses in order to be able to read or change it.
For this reason, the water meter shaft solution from BEULCO was chosen. "The BEULCO water meter chamber is very compact and easy to work with. A big advantage is that it has a fixed installation in the shaft," says the site manager responsible
The solution
BEULCO water meter shaft
The water meter in the BEULCO manhole is no longer located at the bottom of the manhole, but directly under the cover, making it easy to read and replace. The fixed installation minimizes the mobility of installation components and thus effectively reduces potential sources of damage after years of use. The special insulation supports the geothermal effect. The heat penetrating from the bottom of the shaft rises to the top and collects there. This ensures frost-free installation of the water meter even at very low temperatures.
Thanks to the small footprint of 0.4 m x 0.6 m and the modular design, the BEULCO water meter shaft is easy to install in the pipe trench without the need for extensive excavation work. If the shaft proves to be too small on site, it can be individually and easily enlarged using additional add-on modules.
The shaft is up to 40% lighter than other models, enabling fast transportation and time-saving installation. The cover should be selected according to the required application. BEULCO offers suitable covers for different load limits, for example green spaces and parks with loads of up to 1.5 tons or road surfaces with loads of up to 25 tons.
All materials used for the drinking water-bearing components comply with the latest requirements of the German Drinking Water Ordinance, the German Federal Environment Agency and the DVGW. The drinking water-bearing components of the BEULCO water meter chamber are suitable for use with cold drinking water in accordance with DIN 2000. The tried-and-tested, maintenance-free Quickturn valves enable meters to be changed smoothly even after long periods of inactivity. The upper parts of the valves are absolutely free of dead space and maintenance-free and open or close very quickly with just 2.5 turns.