STEP 1 Before you check your meter reading, make sure no water is being used on the property, including any appliances or outside hoses that might be running. Locate your meter box, generally found towards the front of a property, near the road. The box is typically in a direct line with the main outside faucet. It is housed in a plastic or concrete box. The box lid may be painted blue. 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.
STEP 2 Once you open the meter box lid, you'll see your meter ID number stamped on the protective cap for the meter. Open the cap. On the face of the meter, there is a large dial and a display of numbers. For a residential meter, the number to the far right does not move. Each time the 2nd number from the right moves 1 digit, that equals 10 gallons of water used. So, if your meter reading is 0087310, that means 87,310 gallons of water have passed through your meter.
STEP 3 Compare your meter reading today with the most recent reading shown on your bill. For example, the most recent meter reading shown on your bill was read on August 15th. That reading was 0135210 and you were charged for 7,200 gallons of water when you average about 5,000 gallons per month. You received your bill on August 27th (12 days after we read the meter). Your meter reading today is 0133870. That number is lower than the number shown on your bill. Obviously, a mistake was made reading your meter. Stop here and call our office with your current reading. We can correct your bill right away. If your meter reading today is higher than the reading on your bill, continue to Step 4.
STEP 4. Let's say your meter reading today is 0138010. Take that number and subtract the number shown for your most recent reading 0135210. The difference, 2,800 is how many gallons of water you've used in the last 12 days, or about 233 gallons per day. If you keep using water at that rate, your next bill will be about the same as your current bill. While you're at the meter, check your flow indicator (small flower shaped or red triangle piece) on the face of the meter to see if it's moving. It should not move at all. If it does, water is flowing through your meter and you probably have a leak somewhere. If the flow indicator is not moving, it's likely you accidentally left a faucet or water hose running which caused higher than normal usage. If you're still not sure what the problem is, try reading your meter before you go to sleep in the evening and first thing the next morning to see how much water has gone through the meter overnight.
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