STEP 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 concrete box 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.
STEP 2 Once you open the meter box lid, lift the topmost (or farthest from you) protective cap on the meter. On the face of the meter, there is a small digital screen with a display of numbers. Initially, the screen may not show the numbers, as the read-out is magnetically activated. On the lip of the cap for the register, there should be a small magnet. If this is rusted or missing, the screen won't know to turn on. You may substitute touching the screen where the magnet should hit with a screwdriver that has a magnetized tip. Sometimes, you may need to lift the lower protective cap from the register first, then try to close and re-open the top flap so the magnet hits the screen flush.
Note: For the residential meter, the gallons past the decimal point are the tens. Read the number display from left to right. Be sure to include the stationary zero. Charges for the amount of water consumed are rounded to the nearest thousand gallons or hundred cubic feet used during a billing period. For example, a meter reading on the meter: 001234.56 would be 123,456 gallons. Meters measure water in gallons or cubic feet. Compare that reading to what your bill states as your current or present reading.
STEP 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.
