Does your Consumptive Water Use Permit need to be renewed?

In order for your permit to be renewed, the SFWMD requires that your existing flowmeter be calibrated to ensure accurate readings.

Johnson Engineering is now a SFWMD approved calibration vendor. We will verify if your existing flowmeter is calibrated properly and will supply the necessary calibration certificates, which need to be included with your SFWMD water use permit renewal application.

Why do I need to get my existing flowmeter calibrated?

Over time, a flowmeter may loose its accuracy and provide inaccurate readings. The South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) requires that flowmeters be tested within the last five years and be within 10% of accuracy in order to renew your water use permit.

How can Johnson Engineering help me verify if my existing flowmeter is accurate?

Johnson Engineering maintains a highly versatile portable transit-time flowmeter manufactured by GE Infrastructure Sensing that measures the liquid flow rate through pipe. A comparison between the measured flow and your flowmeter is performed to determine its accuracy. Johnson Engineering is approved by the SFWMD to provide this service.

How does the portable flowmeter measure liquid flow rate in a pipe?

Precisely spaced transducers are clamped to the outside of the pipe and alternating ultrasonic signals are both transmitted and received through the pipe. The ultrasound is decelerated and accelerated by flow in the pipe and the difference between the downstream and upstream transit times is proportional to the velocity of the flowing liquid.

Will this instrument cause harm to piping?

No, this technique is non-intrusive. The only requirement is a straight-run section of pipe.

What happens if I have different size pipes constructed of different materials?

The flowmeter is highly versatile and can be fit to a variety of different (0.5 to 300 inch) outside diameter pipe sizes of different material (e.g., PVC, Ductile Iron, steel, etc.).

 What happens once you determine if my flowmeter is calibrated properly?

Johnson Engineering will provide a calibration certificate to you, which should be submitted along with your SFWMD consumptive water use permit renewal application.