What Is This Module About?

Water is life. It plays a vital role in the life of human beings. It is essential for the
growth of all living things—humans, animals and plants.
In some places, water is available for use at no cost at all to consumers. But in
many places, it is supplied to the users and electricity is used in the process. The
users, therefore, have to pay for what they consume. This is why it is important for us
as consumers to know how much water we use. This module will help you do just that.
It will also cite ways on how you can conserve water to save money and at the same
time help preserve our natural resources.
This module is divided into three lessons:
Lesson 1 – Can You Read Me?
Lesson 2 – Let’s Compute
Lesson 3 – Save the Planet, Save Water

What Will You Learn From This Module?

After studying this module, you should be able to:

♦ read a water meter;
♦ identify the contents of a water bill;
♦ compute water consumption and its cost for a given period of time; and
♦ enumerate ways of conserving water.

1
 Let’s See What You Already Know

Before you start studying this module, take this simple test first to find out how
much you already know about its topics.
A. Solve the following problems.
1. On June 17, 1999, a brand-new water meter was installed in Mr.
Padolina’s residence. After a week, Mr. Padolina read and recorded his
family’s water consumption. What was their water meter reading?

m3
0009320
1
×0.001
3 m3

a. 9320 m3
b. 932 m3
c. 9.32 m3
d. 9 m3
2. On July 18, 1999, the water meter reader came and read Mr. Padolina’s
water meter which is shown below.

m3
0038250
1
×0.001
3 m3

2
 What would appear on his water bill for the period June 17 to July 18, 1999.
Complete the water bill below.

Period Covered
Readings
From To Cubic Meters
Mo Day Mo Day Yr Previous Present Consumed

37.75

3. The General Tinio Water District (GTWD) determines the water fee
this way:
Water fee = Minimun charge for the first 10 m3 or less + Commodity
charge (charge for every cubic meter of water consumed
beyond the minimum)

Water Consumed Commodity

in m3 Charge Total Cost

Minimum or first 10 m3 or less P170.00

20 m3 below P17.50 per m3

21 m3 – 30 m3 18.50 per m3
31 m3 – 40 m3 20.00 per m3
41 m3 up 22.00 per m3

a. Based on the table above, why do you think the cost of every cubic
meter of water differs from bracket to bracket?
b. Compute the cost of Mr. Padolina’s water consumption using the
information in the bill and the table above.
c. A leaking faucet wastes two drops of water per second totalling
approximately 6364 L of water in one year. How many cubic meters
of water is this equivalent to?

3
 B. Match the pictures on the left with their descriptions on the right. Write the
letter of the correct answer in the blank provided for each item.
____ 1.

a. Use a glass when brushing

your teeth instead of
continously running water.

____ 2.

b. Have leaking water pipes

fixed immediately.

____ 3.

c. Use a basin when washing

dishes instead of continously
running water.

Well, how was it? Do you think you fared well? Compare your answers with those
in the Answer Key on pages 34 and 35 to find out.
If all your answers are correct, very good! This shows that you already know
much about the topics in this module. You may still study the module to review what
you already know. Who knows, you might learn a few more new things as well.
If you got a low score, don’t feel bad. This means that this module is for you. It
will help you understand some important concepts that you can apply in your daily
life. If you study this module carefully, you will learn the answers to all the items in
the test and a lot more! Are you ready?
You may go now to the next page and begin Lesson 1.

4
 LESSON 1

Can You Read Me?

The ability to read a water meter will surely help you determine how much water
you use each month. It will make you aware of your water consumption. Most
importantly, knowing this will enable you to check if the amount shown on your water
bill is correct.
If your water is not supplied by a water company or district, this lesson will still
be useful to you. You can share your knowledge with others who lack the skill. Your
knowledge may even qualify you to be hired as a water meter reader.

Let’s Learn

m3
0009320
8
×0.001
3 m3

How much water do you use in a month? How much does it cost you?
If your water is supplied by a water district, then you must have a water meter.
Find out what water company or cooperative supplies water for your family.
A water meter measures and records the amount of water used in cubic meters.
It enables your water supplier to keep track of your water consumption. Once a month,
somebody from your water supplier reads your water meter.

5
 m3
1509548
0
×0.001
3 m3

Let’s take a close look at the water meter above. Do you notice that there are
numbers and symbols on its face? Do you know what they are?
If you have a water meter, examine it. Does it look like the one above? Can you
now give the information found on the face of a water meter? You may already have a
clear idea in your mind. It is also possible that you are still confused. The picture
below will help you understand the parts of a water meter.

Unit of measure

Frame
Pointer
m3
7412385 Multiplier
6
×0.001
3
3m

Flow indicator

6
 The information on a water meter can be described as follows:
1. Unit of Measure
On the face of the water meter is the symbol m3. Do you have any idea what
this means?
The symbol m3 is read as “cubic meter/s” and can also be written as “cu m.”
It is the unit of measure used in measuring how much water has been
consumed by a household/business establishment over a certain period of
time. The water meter on the previous page shows a reading of 7412.385 m3.
Can you imagine how much 1 m3 of water is?
Imagine a square container whose sides measure 1 m each. Fill this
container with water and that is how much 1 m3 of water is!

1m

1m

1m

A cubical container which can hold 1 m3 of water

One cubic meter or 1 m3 of water is equivalent to 1000 liters (L) of water. A

typical drum used for storing water contains about 200 L. So, it takes five drums to
make up 1 m3 of water. Look at the following important conversions:

1 m 3 = 1000 L
1 drum = 200 L
5 drums = 1000 L
1 kerosene can = 17 L
60 kerosene cans = 1000 L
1 pail = 15 L
67 pails = 1000 L

7
 Let us see how well you can make use of the conversion table in solving the
following problems.
Example 1. The household of Aling Tinay consumes 5 drums of water in 3
days. How many liters of water do they consume?
Solution:
♦ Use the conversion factor: 1 drum = 200 L.
♦ Express the conversion factor in ratio form:

200 L
1 drum
♦ Multiply 5 drums by the conversion factor in ratio form:

200 L
5 drums × = 1000 L
1 drum
Example 2. A restaurant consumes 5000 L of water daily. How many m3 is its
daily water consumption?
Solution:
♦ Use the conversion factor: 1 m3 = 1000 L
♦ Express the conversion factor in ratio form:

1 m3
1000 L
♦ Multiply 5000 L by the conversion factor in ratio form:

1 m3
5000 L × = 5 m3
1000 L
2. Flow Indicator
What about the little crosslike symbol in the lower portion of the water
meter? What is it used for?

m3
1509008
Flow indicator 9
×0.001
3 m3

8
 This crosslike figure is called the flow indicator. Observe the flow
indicator of your water meter when water is being/not being used in your
household. Did you notice that it spins around each time water is used? To
what direction does it spin? The flow indicator spins clockwise faster when
more water is used.
3. Frame

m3
Frame 1509568
9
×0.001
3 m3

How do you know exactly how much water has been used? Which part
of the water meter tells you this?
The frame in a water meter registers the amount of water used in m3.
Inside it are numbers that tell how much water has been consumed.
4. Multiplier
The multiplier is a number written in small figures at the bottom of the
frame of a water meter.

m3
7412385
6
×0.001 Multiplier
3
3m

In the sample water meter above, this number is 0.001. The multiplier
provides a more accurate reading of your water consumption because it
allows your consumption to be calculated to a smaller part of a cubic meter,
in this case, to the 1000th part.
But not all water meters have multipliers. Water meters with only four
digits usually have no need for a multiplier.

9
 So, how does the given water meter read?
Given the reading and the multiplier, let us compute the water
consumption. We can get this the long way, by getting their product:
7412385 × 0.001 = 7412.385 m3
Or we can just move the decimal point three places to the left (because
there are three decimal places in the multiplier 0.001) as in:
7412385. thereby getting the same answer — 7412.385 m3
5. Pointer
Finally, the short line on the right side of the frame that points directly
to a number is called the pointer. Do you know what it is for? It indicates
the last number which should be recorded when your meter is read.

m3
7412385
6
×0.001
3
3m

By looking at the pointer in the water meter above, you can see that it
reads 7412385 and not 7412386. If, however, the pointer points exactly in-
between two numbers, we take the smaller number as in the meter below
which reads 1509638 and not 1509639.

m3
150963 8
9
×0.001
3 m3

10
 Let’s Try This

Imagine that the following are water meter readings (× 0.001 m3). Write the total
amounts of water consumption that would appear in the water bill in the blanks.

1. 2010342 ___________
3

2. 01421 ___________
2

3. 0321 ___________
2

4. 434235 ___________
6

5. 3542 ___________
3
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 35. How well did
you do? Did you get all the answers right?

Let’s See What You Have Learned

A. Label the different parts of a water meter in the figure below.

2 3
m3
7412385 4
6
×0.001
3
3m

11
 B. Convert the following measurements in the units of measure indicated.
1. 3 m3 = ___________ L
2. ___________ drums = 400 L
3. 4 kerosene cans = ___________ L
4. ___________ pails = 90 L
5. 5 pails = __________ m3
C. Write the total amount of water consumption (× 0.001 m3) indicated by each
water meter below.
___________ 1. 34567
8
___________ 2. 4587
8
___________ 3. 0562
3
___________ 4. 67583
4
___________ 5. 4801
2

Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on pages 35 and 36. How
well did you do? Did you get a perfect score? If you did, that’s very good! This means
you learned a lot from this lesson. If you didn’t, don’t worry. Just review the parts of
the lesson you didn’t understand very well before going to Lesson 2.

12
Let’s Remember

♦ A water meter measures and records the amount of water used by a

household/business establishment over a certain period of time.
♦ The different parts of a water meter are:
— unit of measure;
— flow indicator;
— frame;
— multiplier; and
— pointer.
♦ Water meter readings are usually expressed in cubic meters (m3).

13
 LESSON 2

Let’s Compute

After learning how to read a water meter, you are now ready to go one step
further. Do you know what each of the items in a water bill indicate? In this lesson,
you will learn about these as well as how to actually compute water consumption for a
given period of time.

Let’s Study and Analyze

Have you ever seen a water bill before? What is it for?

A water bill serves as notice so that a consumer will know how much he/she
should pay for the water he/she consumed over a given period of time. A sample water
bill is given below. Study the information indicated in it.

TD
GW GEN. TINIO WATER DISTRICT
Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija

Concessioner’s Name and Service Address: GregorioMallare

Account No. 73-8450 Poblacion,Gen.Tinio B-8 BILL NO. 149963
January
Bill For ....................................., 2000
..............
PERIOD COVERED Cubic Meters February 2
METER READING 2000
Date Billed ................................, ..............
Consumed Amount
From To
Previous Current February 12 2000
Due Date ..................................., .............
Mo. Day Mo. Day Yr. 22 P 382.00 February 17 2000
1 3 2 3 00 277 299 Grace Period ............................., ..............
Other Charges
Consumer Classification METER SIZE This serves as an official receipt when
Code CODE 10%penalty P 38.20 machine validated or signed.
No. Meaning No. Meaning
............................... ...............................
1 Residential 1 3/8”
Payment of bills should be made direct to
2 Government 2 1/2” the office of the water district. A penalty
3 Commercial & 3/4” of 10% is added to bills paid after due date.
3
Industrial A grace period of five days is given after
4 1” due date. Checks will not be honored.
Certified correct:
5 1–1 1/4”

Total ..................................................................
Amount Due P 420.20
General Manager
Form-No. BC-26 Original

14
 Let’s Learn

A water bill should contain the following information:

1. name and address of the water supplier;
2. name, address and account number of the customer;
3. period of time covered by the bill;
4. meter reading and water consumption plus other charges, if any; and
5. due date and grace period, if any.
Let’s discuss each of these in detail.

Period Covered Meter Readings

Cubic Meters
FROM TO Consumed
Previous Present
Mo Day Mo Day Yr
1 3 2 1 00 277 299 22

In the sample water bill on the previous page, you can see that the water
supplier’s name is “General Tinio Water District” and that their office is located in
General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. Indicating this information in the bill will let the
consumer know to whom and where he/she can pay his/her water bill.
You can also see the consumer’s name, address and account number. Indicating
these in the bill will help the water supplier identify which account to access
whenever payment is made.
The period of time covered is also indicated in the bill so that both water supplier
and consumer will know whether the bill has already been settled or not. Of course,
the bill won’t be a bill if the meter reading as well as the other costs the consumer has
to pay are not indicated.
Finally, the due date and a grace period, if any, are also indicated in the bill. This
way the consumer knows when he/she should pay the bill so as to avoid having his/her
water supply disconnected. If he/she fails to pay the bill on the due date, he/she is still
given a certain number of days to make payment without penalty.
All we need to figure out now is how water suppliers come up with the actual
amounts we have to pay when we consume a certain amount of water over a period of
time, usually one month. How is this done?

15
 The first step involves computing how much water was consumed. We do this by
referring to the previous and present meter readings. The previous reading is the
amount indicated on one’s water meter at the start of the period covered by the water
bill. In the sample water bill, this is 277 m3. This is the water consumption indicated in
the consumer’s water meter on January 3, 2000 (the first day of the billing period).
The present reading, on the other hand, is the water consumption indicated on one’s
meter at the end of the billing period. In the same water bill, this is 299 m3. This is the
water consumption indicated on the consumer’s water meter on February 1, 2000.
We then subtract the previous reading from the present reading to get the amount
of water consumed for the indicated billing period as in:

Present reading 299 m3

Minus: Previous reading – 277 m3
Amount of water consumed 22 m3

Let’s Try This

Solve the following problems.

1. On April 20, Mr. Pascual’s water meter read 726 m3. On May 19, 2000, it
read 747 m3. Using this data, fill up the partial water bill of Mr. Pascual, then
compute how much water he used from April 20 to May 19, 2000.

Period Covered Readings

Cubic Meters
From To Consumed
Previous Present
Mo Day Mo Day Yr

16
 2. Study the water bill below then answer the following questions.

TD
GW GEN. TINIO WATER DISTRICT
Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija

Concessioner’s Name and Service Address: TeresitaCastro

Account No. 75-4520 Rizal,PoblacionCentral,Gen.Tinio,N.E. B–9 BILL NO. 196504
July
Bill For ....................................., 2000
..............
PERIOD COVERED Cubic Meters August 2 2000
METER READING Date Billed ................................, ..............
Consumed Amount
From To
Previous Current
August12 2000
Due Date ..................................., .............
Mo. Day Mo. Day Yr. 18 P 310.00 August17 2000
Grace Period ............................., ..............
7 2 8 2 00 1057 1075
Other Charges
Consumer Classification METER SIZE This serves as an official receipt when
Code CODE 10%penalty P 31.00 machine validated or signed.
No. Meaning No. Meaning
............................... ...............................
1 Residential 1 3/8”
Payment of bills should be made direct to
2 Government 2 1/2” the office of the water district. A penalty
3 Commercial & 3/4” of 10% is added to bills paid after due date.
3
Industrial A grace period of five days is given after
4 1” due date. Checks will not be honored.
Certified correct:
5 1-1 1/4”

Total ..................................................................
Amount Due P 341.00
General Manager
Form-No. BC-26 Original

1. When was the previous reading done?

2. What was the previous reading?
3. When was the present reading done?
4. What was the present reading?
5. How many cubic meters of water were consumed for the billing period?
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on pages 36 and 37. How
well did you do? Did you get all the answers right?

17
 Let’s Learn

Even though our water bills give us a lot of information, it does not tell us
everything we want to know about our monthly water consumption. It does not, for
one, tell us how the amount we should pay is computed or where it is based. But don’t
worry, you will learn about that as well in this part of the lesson.
First, look at the table below. It shows how much a consumer should pay given the
number of cubic meters of water he/she consumes in a month. Note though that this
table can only be used for water meters measuring ½” only.

METER FIRST 10 m3 COMMODITY CHARGES PER m3

CLASS
SIZE OR LESS
11-20 m3 21-30 m3 31-40 m3 41-50 m3 51 m3 Up
Residential 1
/
2
”
P 170.00 P 17.50 P 18.50 P 20.00 P 20.00 P 24.50
1 ”
Semi-commercial—C /
2
212.50 21.85 23.10 25.00 27.50 30.60
1
Semi-commercial—B /2” 255.00 26.25 27.75 30.00 33.00 36.75
1
Semi-commercial—A /2” 297.50 30.60 32.35 35.00 38.50 42.85
1 ”
Government / 2 340.00 35.00 37.00 40.00 44.00 49.00

Look at the given water bill below.

TD
GW GEN. TINIO WATER DISTRICT
Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija

Concessioner’s Name and Service Address: ApolonioSalvador

Account No. 79-1616 B–1 BILL NO. 149963
February 2000
Bill For ....................................., ..............
PERIOD COVERED Cubic Meters March 3 2000
METER READING Date Billed ................................, ..............
Consumed Amount
From To
Previous Current
March 13 2000
Due Date ..................................., .............
Mo. Day Mo. Day Yr. 15 P March 18 2000
Grace Period ............................., ..............
2 2 3 3 00 980 995
Other Charges
Consumer Classification METER SIZE This serves as an official receipt when
Code CODE machine validated or signed.
No. Meaning No. Meaning
............................... ...............................
1 Residential 1 3/8”
Payment of bills should be made direct to
2 Government 2 1/2” the office of the water district. A penalty
3 Commercial & 3/4” of 10% is added to bills paid after due date.
3
Industrial A grace period of five days is given after
4 1” due date. Checks will not be honored.
Certified correct:
5 1-1 1/4”

Total ..................................................................
Amount Due P
General Manager
Form-No. BC-26 Original

18
 Let us compute how much water Mr. Salvador consumed from February 2 to
March 3, 2000.
First, let us look at his water meter’s previous and present readings. Note these
down then compute how many cubic meters of water he consumed for the month of
February as in:
Present reading 995 m3
Minus: Previous reading – 980 m3
Amount of water consumed 15 m3
Now that you know how much water he consumed for the month, you can now go
to the next step—determining how much this actually costs. How?
Look at the water bill again. There you will find out what size Mr. Salvador’s
water meter is, that is, ½” and what kind of consumer he is, that is, “residential.” By
referring to the table given earlier, you will see that the basic charge for a consumer
such as Mr. Salvador is P170.00 for the first 10 m3 of water consumed and that
consuming 20 m3 of water or less in excess of 10 m3 will cost him P17.50 per m3.
(Note that even if you consume less than 10 m3 of water per month, you still have to
pay the basic charge indicated in the table for using the utilities offered by the water
supplier.) So, how much should Mr. Salvador be charged?
We can compute this by subtracting 10 m3 from Mr. Salvador’s actual water
consumption as in:
Water consumption 15 m3
Minus: Basic charge consumption – 10 m3
Water consumption in excess of 10 m 5 m3
We then multiply the amount of water he consumed in excess of 10 m3 by P17.50
as in:
Commodity charge per cubic meter P17.50
Times: Amount of water consumed ×5
Commodity charges P87.50
We then get the sum of the basic charge and the amount he has to pay for water
consumed in excess of 10 m3 to get the amount he has to pay as in:
Basic charge P170.00
Plus: Commodity charges + 87.50
Amount to be paid P257.50

19
 Mr. Salvador would then have to pay P237.50 for the month of February, that is, if
he will be able to pay on time. If he won’t, then 10% of the amount he has to pay shall
be added to his bill making a total of:
Amount to be paid P257.50
Times: Percentage of penalty × 0.10
Penalty charge P25.75
Thereby making the total amount he has to pay:
Amount to be paid P257.50
Plus: Penalty + 25.75
Total amount to be paid P283.25
Mr. Salvador would have to pay P283.25 if he doesn’t pay on time.
Let us take a look at another water bill and compute how much water was
consumed.

Your charges appear in the Details of Charges portion. The total amount due is
calculated from two main items: (1) the previous charges and (2) the current charges.

20
1. The previous charges show payments made since the last bill was issued as
well as your remaining balance.
2. The basic charge is the amount you should pay for your actual water
consumption based on a rate per cubic meter (cu. m).

BASIC CHARGE (peso per cubic meter)

RESIDENTIAL RATE

First 10 cu. m 9.88/conn.

Next 10 cu. m 1.21/cu. m

Next 20 cu. m 2.29/cu. m

Next 20 cu. m 3.01/cu. m

Next 20 cu. m 3.52/cu. m

Next 20 cu. m 3.68/cu. m

Next 50 cu. m 3.85/cu. m

Next 50 cu. m 4.01/cu. m

Over 200 cu. m 4.18/cu. m

3. The CERA is a fixed rate of P1.00 per cu. m of water consumed.

4. The environment charge is 10% of the basic charge plus the CERA.
5. The sewer charge, if applicable, is 50% of the sum of the basic charge and
the CERA.
6. The meter service charge is a fixed monthly charge for meter maintenance
and is dependent on the size of your meter.
7. The septic tank desludging charge, if applicable, is the charge for the
services of desludging your septic tank.
8. The government also charges a 10% VAT on the total charges.
There are also other figures in your water bill including:
1. The installation number is a control number assigned to your water
consumption.
2. The meter code is the serial number of your water meter.
3. The period covered shows the period or duration of usage.
4. The class identifies customer classification and water/sewer connection.
5. The type indicates the type of establishment.
6. The reading reflects your previous and present meter readings.

21
 7. The consumption shows in cu. m the difference between your previous and
present readings.
8. The graph shows your consumption table. The table represents your
consumption for the past 12 months plus your current consumption for the
month you are billed for. You may use the graph as your guide to monitor
your water consumption.
9. You may also refer to the back of your bill for the address and contact
number of the water supplier office nearest you for information on your
water bill.
Now that you know what the different information in your water bill show, you
are now ready to compute the amount the customer has to pay for the water he
consumed.
Based on the given water bill on page 20, compute the amount of water Mr.
Caraig consumed from December 18, 2000 to January 17, 2001.
Mr. Caraig’s previous meter reading was 3796 and his present meter reading was
3760. How much water did he consume?
3796 – 3760 = 36 cu. m
Compute the basic charge.
Based on the water rate table on the previous page, he will be charged P9.88/
conn. for the first 10 cu. m because he is maintaining a residential establishment, so
you will have:
P9.88 for the first 10 cu. m since he only has one water meter connected
36 cu. m – 10 cu. m = 26 cu. m
Referring to the table again, he will be charged P1.21/cu.m for the next 10 cu. m,
so you will have:
10 cu. m × 1.21 cu. m = P12.10
26 cu. m – 10 cu. m = 16 cu. m
Refer to the table again and you will see that he will be charged P2.29/cu.m for
the next 20 cu. m, so you will have:
16 cu. m × 2.29/cu. m = P36.64
If you add all these charges, you will come up with the total basic charge.
P9.88 + P12.10 + P36.64 = P58.62

22
 Let us then compute for the CERA (P1.00/cu. m).
36 cu. m × P1.00 = P36.00
Then we add the total basic charge and the CERA.
P58.62 + 36.00 = P94.62
To get the environmental charge (10% of the sum of the basic charge and the
CERA), we have:
P94.62 × 0.10 = P9.46
Then we add the meter service charge which depends on what type of
establishment the customer is maintaining, in this case, it is a residence so the fixed
amount he has to pay for his meter service charge is P1.50.
Let’s sum them up as in:
P58.62 + 36.00 + 9.46 + 1.50 = P105.58
The answer we get here shows the current charges before taxes. Then we compute
for the VAT (10% of the current charges) and we get:
P105.58 × 0.10 = P10.56
Finally, we add the last two items and come up with the total current charges as
in:
P105.58 + 10.56 = P116.14
Mr. Caraig then has to pay P116.14.

23
 Let’s See What You Have Learned

Solve the following problems.

TD
GW GEN. TINIO WATER DISTRICT
Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija

Concessioner’s Name and Service Address: Santos Commercial

Account No. 80-6798 Center
BILL NO. 125478
February 2001
Bill For ....................................., ..............
PERIOD COVERED
METER READING Cubic Meters February 1 2001
Date Billed ................................, ..............
Consumed Amount
From To
Previous Current
February 11 2001
Due Date ..................................., .............
Mo. Day Mo. Day Yr. 15 P February 18 2001
Grace Period ............................., ..............
1 2 2 1 01 1096 1350
Other Charges
Consumer Classification METER SIZE This serves as an official receipt when
Code CODE machine validated or signed.
No. Meaning No. Meaning
............................... ...............................
1 Residential 1 3/8”
Payment of bills should be made direct to
2 Government 2 1/2” the office of the water district. A penalty
3 Commercial & 1/2” of 10% is added to bills paid after due date.
3
Industrial A grace period of five days is given after
4 1” due date. Checks will not be honored.
Certified correct:
5 1-1 1/4”

Total ..................................................................
Amount Due P
General Manager
Form-No. BC-26 Original

1. Based on the information given above, compute how much Ms. Santos, the
owner of the company, should pay assuming she meets the due date. Fill in
the missing information in her water bill.

24
 678453

2. Based on the information given above, compute how much Ms. Santos has to
pay granting she is able to meet the due date. Fill in the missing information
in her water bill.
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 34. How well did
you do? Did you get a perfect score? If you did, that’s very good. This means you
learned a lot from this lesson. If you didn’t, don’t worry. Just review the parts of the
lesson you didn’t understand very well before going to Lesson 3.

Let’s Remember

♦ Different water companies/suppliers/concessionaires have different ways of

computing their monthly water bills.

25
 LESSON 3

Save the Planet, Save Water

Filipinos are fortunate because generally, water is abundant in most places in the
country. At certain times, however, especially during dry spells, low-lying areas like
Metro Manila experience water shortage. It is imperative, therefore, that people
conserve water. Even in places where water shortage is not experienced though,
people should still conserve water. Do you know why? This lesson will tell you why
and more.

Let’s Think About This

Look at the pictures below. What do they show?

1. 2.

3. 4.

The pictures above show the different uses of water in everyday life. Would we
still be able to do these things if there were no water left?

Let’s Learn

Think of all the things you do from the time you wake up until you sleep. Which
of these involve using water? Suppose water runs out, how will this affect you? Your
answers to these questions will tell you how important water is.
Water is very important to all living organisms. Living things cannot exist without
water. Human beings need water to drink, cook food with, take a bath with, clean
utensils and vehicles with. We need water for plants to grow. We need water for
animals to drink. We must, therefore, conserve water because without it, life would
not be possible.

26
 Most homes now, including yours perhaps, get water from the various water
companies in the country. Are you aware that these companies use electricity to
pump, purify and deliver water to our homes? And as we all know, oil, a limited and
costly resource, is needed to generate electricity. So, when we waste water, we waste
a lot of things—electricity, oil and money. Thus, when we conserve water, we save all
of these too.
We should also consider that even though water is a renewable resource, meaning
it can never run out, it is being used faster than it can be replenished. This is precisely
why the threat of inadequate water supply is very real.

Let’s Try This

Below are pictures of different activities we engage in that involve using water.
Encircle the letter of the picture which shows wise use of water in each number.
1. When brushing your teeth

a. b.

Let water flow continuously from the

Use a glass faucet

2. When wetting dusty ground

a. b.

Use water that has already been used for

Use continuously running water rinsing clothes or dishes

27
 3. When washing the dishes

a. b.

Use a basin Use continuously running water

4. When opening the faucet

a. b.

Do this slowly and carefully Open it full-blast

5. when closing the faucet

a. b.

Do this only halfway Make sure water will not drip from it

28
 6. When cleaning a vehicle

a. b.

Use continuously running water Use a rag or piece of cloth and a pail

7. When watering plants

Use a pail or sprinkler and water that has

already been used for rinsing clothes or
dishes Use clean running water

Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 37. How well did
you do? Did you get all the answers right?

29
 Let’s Learn

In the previous activity, you learned how to use water wisely. What other ways can
you think of? Look at my list below.
1. Store and use rainwater for cleaning your surroundings and watering plants.
2. Repair leaking pipes and faucets. Replace worn-out washers or fixtures.
3. Use a basin when washing fruits and vegetables so you can reuse water.
4. Take frozen food out from the freezer early so that you don’t have to place
them in a basin of water or under running water before cooking.
5. Reuse leftover drinking water for other chores.
6. Use other tools instead of water when cleaning.
Which of these do you do at home?

Let’s See What You Have Learned

Apply what you have just learned, conserve water. Read your water meter and
record your reading. Make sure you note down the date you read your meter. Do this
for five consecutive weeks. Make sure that you read your meter on the same day each
week. Record your observations in a table similar to the one below.

WEEK METER READING m3 of WATER

Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4

Week 5

Afterward, fill in the missing information in your table. To get the amount of
water used each week, subtract the previous week’s reading from the current one. For
example, the water consumption for Week 1 is equal to the reading for Week 2 minus
the reading for Week 1 and so on. Did your water consumption decrease from one
week to another or were you able to maintain almost the same amount of water
consumption over the five-week period? If it did, then you were able to apply what you
learned successfully. If it didn’t, check how you use water in your household.

30
 Let’s Remember

♦ We can conserve water by:

— using a glass when brushing our teeth;
— using the water we used for rinsing dishes and clothes for other tasks
such as wetting dusty grounds, washing vehicles and watering plants;
— using a basin instead of running water when washing dishes and other
kitchen utensils;
— opening faucets slowly and carefully instead of doing it full-blast;
— making sure the faucet does not drip after we use it;
— using a pail and a rag or piece of cloth when cleaning vehicles and other
things instead of using running water;
— storing and using rainwater instead of clean running water for cleaning
and watering the plants and the like;
— reusing the water we used for washing fruits and vegetables or left-over
drinking water; and
— taking frozen food out of the freezer early to thaw them without using
water.
Well, this is the end of the module! Congratulations for finishing it. Did you like
it? Did you learn anything useful from it? A summary of its main points is given on the
next page to help you remember them better.

31
 Let’s Sum Up

♦ A water meter measures and records the amount of water used by a

household/business establishment over a certain period of time.
♦ The different parts of a water meter are:
— unit of measure;
— flow indicator;
— frame;
— multiplier; and
— pointer.
♦ Water meter readings are usually expressed in cubic meters (m3).
♦ Different water companies/suppliers/concessionaires have different ways of
computing their monthly water bills.
♦ We can conserve water by:
— using a glass when brushing our teeth;
— using the water we used for rinsing dishes and clothes for other tasks
such as wetting dusty grounds, washing vehicles and watering plants;
— using a basin instead of running water when washing dishes and other
kitchen utensils;
— opening faucets slowly and carefully instead of doing it full-blast;
— making sure the faucet does not drip after we use it;
— using a pail and a rag or piece of cloth when cleaning vehicles and other
things instead of using running water;
— storing and using rainwater instead of clean running water for cleaning
and watering the plants and the like;
— reusing the water we used for washing fruits and vegetables or left-over
drinking water; and
— taking frozen food out of the freezer early to thaw them without using
water.

32
 What Have You Learned?

A. Read the two water meters below.

A B

m3 m3
7412385 830275
6 6
×0.001 ×0.001
3 3
3m 3m

What is the reading on water meter?

1. A? ________________
2. B? ________________
B. Fill up the partial water bill below if Mrs. Paglinawan’s water meter reading
was 4865 m3 last June 1 (Gen. Tinio Water District).

Cubic Meters
Period Covered Readings Consumed
From To Previous Present
Mo Day Mo Day Yr
4950
7 1 00

C. Using the information above, compute how much Mrs. Paglinawan has to pay
for the month of June (Residential, ½”).

33
 D. Aling Siony’s leaking faucet wasted 9546 L of water after a year.
1. How much water is this in m3?

2. What should she have done to conserve water?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Compare your answers with those in the Answer Key on page 38. How well did
you do? Did you get a perfect score? If you did, very good! You may study a new
module. If you didn’t, review the parts of this module you made mistakes in before
doing so.

Answer Key

A. Let’s See What You Already Know (pages 2–4)

A. 1. (c)
2. 38.25 m3

Period Covered Cubic Meters

Readings Consumed
From To
Mo Day Mo Day Yr Previous Present

6 17 7 18 99 37.75 38.25 0.5

3. a. Water becomes more expensive as the number of cubic meters

used increases.
b. 0.5 < 10 so he only has to pay P170.00.
c. 6364 L = ? m3
1 m3 = 1000 L

1 m3
6364 L × = 6.364 m3
1000 L

34
 B. 1. (b)
2. (c)
3. (a)

B. Lesson 1
Let’s Try This (page 11)
1. 2010.342 m3
2. 1.421 m3
3. 0.321 m3
4. 434.235 m3
5. 3.542 m3
Let’s See What You Have Learned (pages 11–12)
A.

2. Rectangular frame 1. Unit of measure

3. Pointer
m3
0435120 4. Multiplier
1
×0.001
3
3m

5. Flow indicator

B. 1. 3 m3 = ? L
1 m 3 = 1000 L
1000 L
3 m3 × = 3000 L
1 m3

2. ? drums = 400 L
1 drum = 200 L
1 drum
400 L × = 2 drums
200 L

35
 3. 4 kerosene cans = ? L
1 kerosene can = 17 L
17 L
4 kerosene cans × = 68 L
1 kerosene can

4. ? pails = 90 L
1 pail = 15 L
1 pail
90 L × = 6 pails
15 L

5. 5 pails = ? m 3
67 pails = 1000 L = 1 m 3
1 m3
5 pails × = 0.07 m 3
67 pails

C. 1. 34.567 m3
2. 4.587 m3
3. 0.562 m3
4. 67.583 m3
5. 4.801 m3

C. Lesson 2
Let’s Try This (pages 16–17)
A.

Period Covered Meter Readings

Cubic Meters
From To Consumed
Previous Present
Mo Day Mo Day Yr
4 20 5 19 00 726 747 21

36
 B. 1. July 2, 2000
2. 1057
3. August 2, 2000
4. 1075
5. 1075 m3 – 1057 m3 = 18 m3
Let’s See What You Have Learned (pages 24–25)
1. 1350 m3 – 1096 m3 = 254 m3
254 m3 – 10 m3 = 244 m3
244 m3 × P42.85/m3 = P10455.40
P10455.40 + 297.50 = P10752.90
Ms. Santos should pay P10752.90 for her water consumption for the
month of January.
2. 7809 m3 – 7654 m3 = 155 m3
155 m3 – 10 m3 = 145 m3
145 m3 × P49/m3 = P7105
P7105 + 340 = P7445
P7445 × 0.1 = P744.50
P7445 + 744.50 = P8189.50
Ms. Santos should pay P8189.50 for her water consumption for the
month of March.

D. Lesson 3
Lets Try This (pages 27–29)
1. (a)
2. (b)
3. (a)
4. (a)
5. (b)
6. (b)
7. (a)

37
E. What Have You Learned? (pages 33–34)
A. 1. 7412.385 m3
2. 830.275 m3
B.

Period Covered Meter Readings

Cubic Meters
From To Consumed
Previous Present
Mo Day Mo Day Yr
6 1 7 1 00 4865 4950 85

C. 85 m3 – 10 m3 = 75 m3
75 m3 × P24.50/m3 = P1837.50 + 170.00 = P2007.50
D. 1. 9546 L = ? m 3
1 m 3 = 1000 L
1 m3
9546 L × = 9.546 m 3
1000 L

2. Aling Siony should have had her leaking faucet fixed so she
wouldn’t have wasted that much water.

References

Alameda County Water District. (2000). Reading Your Water Meter. http://
www.acwd.org/doingbusiness-watermeter.html. March 13, 2001, date
accessed.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Reading Your Bill. http://
www.ladwp.com/billing/newbill.htm. March 13, 2001, date accessed.
Regional Internet Services. (1999). Water Meter. http://www.regional.net.au/
water/how/meter.htm. March 13, 2001, date accessed.
The City of San Diego, California. How to Read Your Water Meter. http://
www.sannet.gov/water/rates/how.shtml. March 13, 2001, date accessed.
Water Conservation Office, City of Albuquerque. (2000). Public Works—Water
Conservation Office. http://www.cabq.gov/waterconservation/. March 13,
2001, date accessed.

38