What is RUBS?

 In situations where a particular development is plumbed in a fashion which makes retrofitting submeters prohibitively expensive or physically impossible, many HOAs/Owners institute  RUBS. “RUBS” is an acronym standing for Ratio Utility Billing System(s). It is a methodology for allocating water utility expenses among residents based on such factors as square footage, number of occupants, number of taps, number of fixtures, some other easily quantifiable measure or a combination of factors.

RUBS allows HOAs/Owners to keep their water utility expenses  from being mixed in with rent or dues, so that they are more visible and easier to  control and monitor. HOAs view RUBS as a means of removing their largest single variable expense from their general budget and dues process. Apartment owners perceive RUBS as the logical extension of segregating all utilities from the general rental/income equation, It increases property values while also encouraging water conservation by allowing renters to see their utility costs separately from their rental expense.


A recent study of The National Apartment Association found that tenants in complexes using RUBS consumed 6% to 27% less water.