Follow these steps to read your meter:
Your water meter (usually located in the ground, at the front curb ) measures the amount of water used in your household. It’s a good idea to learn how to read it should you want to verify the monthly reading on your water bill.
1. Locate your meter box, generally found towards the front of a property, near the street. The box is typically in a direct line with the main outside faucet. It is housed in a cast iron or concrete box and usually marked "water". Remove the lid by using a tool such as a large screwdriver. Insert the tool into one of the holes and pry the lid off.
2. Once you open the meter box lid, lift the protective cap on the meter. On the face of the meter, there is a large dial and a display of numbers. For the residential meter, each rotation of the dial measures 10 gallons. Read the number display from left to right. Be sure to include the stationary zero. Meters measure water in gallons. Charges for the amount of water consumed are rounded to the nearest thousand gallons used during a billing period. WCID#8 reads the meter to the hundreds place and bills to the reading obtained by rounding to the thousands, the last two digits on the meter dial are dropped when the meter is read. Compare that reading to what your bill states as your current or present reading. When you're done, close the meter cap to prevent damage to the lens. Carefully replace the meter box lid to avoid damaging the meter or lid.
3. Keep in mind that you might be checking your meter on a date different from the one used for billing. This could result in a difference in the amount you find, compared with the amount on which your bill is based. However, if your reading is considerably higher than what is on your bill, check for a leak or try to determine the source of large water use. If your reading is significantly lower than the reading on your bill, please contact us and let us assist you in determining the problem.
Using your water meter to detect leaks
Your water meter can help you determine whether your water-using fixtures have inconspicuous leaks. It’s the best place to begin your search.
Even the slowest leak can add up over time. For example, if you have a slow leaking toilet could be allowing water to flow through at a rate of .25 gallons per minute. Considering there are 1,440 minutes in a day; your toilet could leak 10,800 gallons in a 30 day month! This would tack on around $70.00 to your average water bill. The red triangle dial is very useful in detecting very slow leaks.
How do you decide whether there is a leak somewhere inside the house, or between the water meter and the house? Turn off your house valve. If the red needle on the water meter dial (or the red triangle) continues to move, you may have a leak between your house and the water meter. If the needle has not moved, you may have a leak within your house. Consider contacting a plumber to check the problem.
It is a good idea to periodically check for leaks. Start with your toilets and faucets. Check out other ways to avoid water waste.
1. Locate your meter box, generally found towards the front of a property, near the street. The box is typically in a direct line with the main outside faucet. It is housed in a cast iron or concrete box and usually marked "water". Remove the lid by using a tool such as a large screwdriver. Insert the tool into one of the holes and pry the lid off.
2. Once you open the meter box lid, lift the protective cap on the meter. On the face of the meter, there is a large dial and a display of numbers. For the residential meter, each rotation of the dial measures 10 gallons. Read the number display from left to right. Be sure to include the stationary zero. Meters measure water in gallons. Charges for the amount of water consumed are rounded to the nearest thousand gallons used during a billing period. WCID#8 reads the meter to the hundreds place and bills to the reading obtained by rounding to the thousands, the last two digits on the meter dial are dropped when the meter is read. Compare that reading to what your bill states as your current or present reading. When you're done, close the meter cap to prevent damage to the lens. Carefully replace the meter box lid to avoid damaging the meter or lid.
3. Keep in mind that you might be checking your meter on a date different from the one used for billing. This could result in a difference in the amount you find, compared with the amount on which your bill is based. However, if your reading is considerably higher than what is on your bill, check for a leak or try to determine the source of large water use. If your reading is significantly lower than the reading on your bill, please contact us and let us assist you in determining the problem.
Using your water meter to detect leaks
Your water meter can help you determine whether your water-using fixtures have inconspicuous leaks. It’s the best place to begin your search.
- Turn off all faucets and water-consuming appliances, including evaporative coolers and ice-makers inside of your refrigerators.
- Check the needle’s position on the dial and note the time.
- Check the needle’s position again after 15-30 minutes. If the needle’s position has changed, you may have a leak.
Even the slowest leak can add up over time. For example, if you have a slow leaking toilet could be allowing water to flow through at a rate of .25 gallons per minute. Considering there are 1,440 minutes in a day; your toilet could leak 10,800 gallons in a 30 day month! This would tack on around $70.00 to your average water bill. The red triangle dial is very useful in detecting very slow leaks.
How do you decide whether there is a leak somewhere inside the house, or between the water meter and the house? Turn off your house valve. If the red needle on the water meter dial (or the red triangle) continues to move, you may have a leak between your house and the water meter. If the needle has not moved, you may have a leak within your house. Consider contacting a plumber to check the problem.
It is a good idea to periodically check for leaks. Start with your toilets and faucets. Check out other ways to avoid water waste.