Why the Water Meter Industry Is Quietly Moving Toward Forged Brass Bodies

In the water metering industry, changes usually happen slowly.
But one shift has been accelerating across OEMs and utilities worldwide:

The move from cast brass water meter bodies to forged brass water meter bodies.

At first, it looked like just another material change.
Today, it’s becoming a standard engineering decision driven by data, not opinion.

So what triggered it?

The Turning Point: Field Reliability

During long-term field trials in North America, Europe and the Middle East, engineers noticed a consistent pattern:

Water meters fitted with forged brass bodies showed fewer leakage-related service calls.

This was happening across different regions, different pressure systems and different installation practices — which means the pattern was not coincidence.

The root cause came down to internal structure of the material.

Porosity vs Grain Flow — The Hidden Difference

Casting creates metal shapes by pouring molten brass into a mold.
Forging forms metal by compressing it under high pressure.

The visual difference may not be obvious, but the internal structure is.

Cast brass

Can contain tiny internal voids (porosity) that may expand or crack over time under cyclical pressure.

Forged brass

The metal grains are compressed and aligned, improving fatigue strength and eliminating shrinkage cavities.

This matters in real-world use:

• Constant flow variations

• Night-time pressure spikes

• Temperature cycling

• Water hammer events

Forged brass simply endures these stresses longer.

CNC Finishing — The Second Big Factor

Another learning from field installations:

Even small variations in sealing surface flatness and thread accuracy can influence service life.

Forged bodies allow:

• More stable geometry for CNC machining

• Reduced thread deformation

• Better sealing reproducibility across batches

This leads to smoother assembly, fewer rework hours and more predictable performance.

Why This Matters to the Water Industry

Water metering is no longer only about counting consumption.
Many utilities today must achieve:

• Long service life

• Low maintenance cost

• High measurement accuracy

• Leak-free connections over time

A meter body that lasts longer and seals better contributes directly to these goals.

That’s why forged brass has gained traction — not because it looks better, but because it performs longer and more consistently in the field.

The Future Direction

Industry feedback suggests that forged brass may soon become the default choice for:

• Smart meters

• Ultrasonic counters

• Residential cold water meters

• Irrigation meters

• Industrial flow meters

Not by regulation — but by engineering judgment.