How to Read Your Meter

Straight Reading Meter
Straight Reading Meter

Your water meter is generally located in the ground under a cement cover in front of the house or building, near the curb. There are two types of meters: straight-reading and round-reading.

Straight-Reading Meter

Read straight-reading meters (at right), as follows:

  • Read the numbers shown under the words "CUBIC FEET".
  • This example reads 008171, which is the total number of cubic feet of water recorded since the meter was installed.
  • Disregard the last two numbers on the right, because our charge is based on units of 100 cubic feet. Therefore the total number of units is 81. 
  • If you used 1200 cubic feet of water over the next billing period, the next meter reading would be 008171 plus 1200, equaling 009371 cubic feet, or in this case 93 units.
  • Your bill would be based on the difference between the two readings, or 12 units at 748 gallons per unit (8976 gallons).
Round-Reading Meter
Round Reading Meter, Style 1

Round-Reading Meters

There are two styles of round-reading meters. For the style shown at right (style 1), read your meter as follows:

  • Disregard the "ONE FOOT" dial at the lower left. (This dial indicates that the meter is functioning and is used for testing purposes.)
  • Begin with the "100,000" dial at the upper left (just above the one foot dial) and record the number indicated by the needle.
  • Then read each dial in a clockwise direction around the meter to the "10" dial. Record each number. (If the hand is between numbers, use the lower number.)
  • In this example, the dials register 8, 0, 6, 3, and 2, respectively (80,632 cubic feet).
  • Disregard the last two numbers (32), because our charge is based on units of 100 cubic feet.
Round-Reading Meter
Round Reading Meter, Style 2

For the style of round-reading meter shown at right (style 2), read your meter as follows:

  • Disregard the unnumbered dial.
  • Begin with the "100,000" dial (lower left dial) and record the number indicated by the needle.
  • Then read each dial in a clockwise direction around the meter to the "10" dial. Record each number. (If the hand is between numbers, use the lower number.)
  • The readings on this example are 9, 8, 4, 8, and 9, equaling 98,489 cubic feet or 984 units.
  • If you were to use 13 more units by the next time your meter was checked, the reading would be 997 units.
  • Disregard the last two numbers (89), because our charge is based on units of 100 cubic feet.

 

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