[Avodah] If you have an electronic water meter, can you turn on your faucet on Shabbos?

[Marty Bluke]

In an interesting letter in yesterday's Yated Neeman a writer brought up
this issue. He claimed that in some places in Israel they have installed
electronic water meters and therefore you can't use the water on Shabbos.
He wanted to warn people who are planning a vacation to keep this in mind
when picking a destination.

It would seem that the letter writer is right about the problems of using
water on Shabbos if you have an electronic water meter. Every time you turn
on the water you are directly causing the electronic water meter to record
your use which falls under the general rubric of electricity.

There is no question that in the near future electronic water meters will
be everywhere. What will the religious community do? Not use water? There
is little to no chance chance of convincing the water company to not switch
to electronic meters. It will soon reach a point that we will not be able
to do anything without causing some reaction in some sensor. We have
already reached that point with hotels:

Electronic keys
Motion sensors which shut off the lights and air conditioning if there is
no movement
Faucets that go on and off based on motion sensors
Toilets with sensors
Automatic doors
Security cameras

I for one don’t see how a frum person can stay in many (if not most) hotels
in the US on Shabbos based on this.

If we just continue saying that electricity/electronics is assur we will
either not be able to do anything on Shabbos or have to become Amish.

The question is what will the reaction from the poskim be? RSZA opinion
that there really is no issur seems to be very well reasoned and I believe
is generally accepted. The question is will anyone have the courage to run
with it and say that in the modern world where circumstances have changed
we need to allow certain things (like electronic locks, refrigerator
sensors etc.) The fact is that in the next 10 years the incandescent light
bulb will go the way of the dodo which will remove the only issur doraysa
related to electricity (except for the Chazon Ish which does not seem to be
accepted). I know that there is a very fine line, it is clear that we don't
want people using computers, tv's, mp3 players, cell phones, etc. on
shabbos, on the other hand we are rapidly reaching a point where we will be
unable to do anything on Shabbos in a modern home. The poskim need to come
up with some kind of balance, unfortunately given what is going on in the
Jewish world I am not optimistic.
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