Water Meter Billing in Flatra — Readings, Units and Fair Splits

Splitting the tanker bill equally is the number-one cause of society WhatsApp fights. Metered billing ends it with arithmetic: each flat pays for the units it used. Flatra handles the readings, the rate and the per-flat line on the bill.

How the maths works

Units this month = current reading − last reading (per meter; multipliers and multiple meters per flat are supported). Rate = the month's total water cost ÷ total units. Each flat's water charge = its units × the rate. The society recovers exactly what it spent — no more, no less. Slab pricing (heavier users pay a higher rate) is available too.

Step by step

1. Turn on water metering in Settings → Maintenance, and add each flat's meter(s) under the flat.
2. Each month, open Readings and enter the current reading per flat. You can give a trusted resident the reading-collector role so they can do the rounds — they see only the readings screen.
3. Add the month's water cost under Bills, tagged Water (tankers, municipal bill, borewell power).
4. Generate the month. Each bill carries a water line with units and amount.
5. Residents see their own readings and units in the bill breakdown, so the number is never in dispute.

Faulty or missed readings

A meter that stuck or a flat that was locked: bill the flat's 6-month average in one tap and correct it next month. Readings for a generated month are locked; regenerate after fixing if needed.

Frequently asked questions

Our flats don't have meters — can we still use Flatra?

Yes. Leave water metering off; water becomes a common expense split like any other, or part of the fixed amount.

A flat has two meters — kitchen and bathroom lines.

Add both meters to the flat. Units are summed; multipliers handle meters that count in different units.

Can the watchman enter readings?

Give any mobile number the reading-collector role under Settings → Delegated access. They can enter readings and nothing else.

What if the total water cost isn't known yet?

Enter readings anyway; add the bill when it arrives and generate then. Or generate with an estimate and regenerate when the bill comes.