A household water meter is a brass fixture about the size of two fists put together. Water meters are connected to an automatic reading box (ARB) outside the home. The municipality uses the ARB to measure water flow into your home. The measurement determines water and sewer charges.
Read your water meter
The municipality will use the ARB to read your water meter for billing purposes. If you want to read the meter to monitor your water use, here's how:
Step one |
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Shine a flashlight over the flashlight icon to activate the LCD display. * *Please note that when the display is activated with a flashlight, it will display all icons briefly, and then firmware information. The display will then toggle every four seconds between the reading and the flow rate. When the display shows, “RATE,” it is displaying the flow rate. |
Step two |
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Take a reading at a set time of day. Take a second reading at the same time the next day. The difference between the two readings will be your water consumption amount. |
Important note |
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The meter reads in cubic meters. One cubic meter is 220 imperial gallons. |
Test for leaks in your home
Your water meter can be used to test for household leaks. Here are a few ways to test for leaks with your water meter:
Test with snoop indicator |
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A snoop indicator is a small red triangle or pointer that rotates when water passes through the meter. It will show flows as low a slow drip. To perform a test, make sure everything is turned off, including:
After everything is turned off, watch the red triangle or pointer for a minute or two. If the pointer moves, either something is using water, or there is a leak. If you suspect a leak, please call to make an appointment for a technician to check your meter. |
Test with leak indicator |
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Here is how to read a water meter's leak indicator:
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Flow indicator |
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The flow indicator on your water meter displays the direction of water flow. Here's how to read it:
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