It is often taken for granted that metering is an unarguable ‘best practice’ when it comes to the quantitative management of groundwater resources. This paper revisits empirical evidence of the performance of meters on the ground, distinguishing between the logistical, financial, political and institutional factors that condition acceptability, implementation and monitoring. It is shown that metering should only be implemented when certain conditions are met. The options for technical and institutional improvements are reviewed. Then the paper turns to co-management arrangements between the state/administration and water user associations. It is argued that metering can play a key part in these arrangements rather than be, by default, an undesired nuisance. Hence, the distribution of the costs of meter installation, maintenance and monitoring should be construed as part of the balancing of costs and benefits, carrots and sticks, threats and opportunities, and of the roles of the states and water user associations. All must be designed to elicit collective action towards, and adherence to, sustainability targets.

当涉及到地下水资源的定量管理时，计量是一种无可争议的“最佳实践”，这通常被认为是理所当然的。本文重新审视了地面仪表性能的经验证据，区分了影响可接受性、实施和监测的后勤、财务、政治和制度因素。表明只有在满足某些条件时才应实施计量。审查了技术和体制改进的选项。然后，本文转向国家/行政部门和用水者协会之间的共同管理安排。有人认为，计量可以在这些安排中发挥关键作用，而不是在默认情况下成为不受欢迎的麻烦。因此，电表安装成本的分布，维护和监测应被视为平衡成本和收益、胡萝卜加大棒、威胁和机遇以及国家和用水者协会的作用的一部分。所有这些都必须旨在引发集体行动，以实现并遵守可持续发展目标。