How to Read Your Water Meter

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

By learning to read your water meter, you can verify the accuracy of the reading on your bill, determine if you have a leak, and monitor the amount of water your household uses.

Water meters are installed in the ground, surrounded by a meter box. They are normally located at the roadside or near your property line. If you are not sure where your meter is located, call the office for help.

District water meters measure in cubic foot units. The District bills for water usage in 100 cubic foot units, therefore meter readings do not include numeric place values after the decimal point. To track 100-cubic foot readings on your water meter, when reading your meter you will need to exclude the digits to the farthest right (or the darkened dials, which are the ones and tens units for cubic feet).  On our new digital read meter registers, there are four place values to the right of the decimal to drop.  Your water meter has a low flow indicator on it. It may look like a black triangle, a thin needle, or a small gear. If any amount of water is passing through the meter, the indicator will move to detect the flow.

Use your water meter to check for leaks in your home. Leaks can waste more than 10% of your total usage. To save costs to you and the environment, check for leaks regularly and repair them promptly.

See the Adjustment Policy at the bottom of the General Meter Info page or call the office to discuss a billing adjustment for repaired water leaks.