How to read your water meter

STEP 1: Find your water meter.

Most water meters are located in a standard 12” meter box in front of the property line. Resembling a car odometer, they are called “straight read” meters. The digits are read left to right.

STEP 2: Determine which type of water meter you have.

Our districts use three varieties of water meters. Use the photos below to determine which meter you have, then follow the information for your meter type to learn how to read the meter.

• Find the numbers on your meter. Disregard the last three numbers on the right end (two black numbers and one white number) because they measure in units less than 1000 gallons. You are billed for every 1000 gallons of water used.
• The dial to the right with a sweep hand represents the water that is being used. When the sweep hand makes one revolution, 10 gallons of water have gone through the meter. The black triangle above the meter read numbers is a low flow detector. It turns in a clockwise direction. If there is any movement in the low flow detector and there is nothing on that uses water, there is a water leak.

Example: If the numbers from left to right are 0274260, the meter read would be 0(274)260. On your water bill, the read would be 274.

• Find the numbers on your meter. Disregard the last four numbers on the right end because they measure in units less than 1000 gallons. You are billed for every 1000 gallons of water used.
• The small red triangle located in the bottom right hand corner of the meter is the low flow detector. It turns in a clockwise direction. If there is any movement in the low flow detector and there is nothing on that uses water, there is a water leak.

Example: If the numbers from left to right are 0000000.1, the meter read would be 0(000)000.1. On your water bill, the read would be 000.

• Find the numbers on your meter. Disregard the last three numbers on the right end (three black numbers) because they measure in units less than 1000 gallons. You are billed for every 1000 gallons of water used.
• The small red triangle (sometimes black) located above the read numbers, just left of the large red hand is the low flow detector. It turns in a clockwise direction. The dial on the top with a sweep hand represents the water that is being used. When the sweep hand makes one revolution, 10 gallons of water have gone through the meter. If there is any movement in the low flow detector and there is nothing on that uses water, there is a water leak.

Example: If the numbers from left to right are 0000000, the meter read would be 0(000)000. On your water bill, the read would be 000.