How to read your water meter

How to read your water meter
Some of our customers like to occasionally read their own
water meters, either to see how much water they have been
using during a particular period or to double check their bill.
We encourage you to do this — it’s easy.
Finding Your Water Meter
Your meter is located in a small, concrete box in the ground,
usually near the street at the front of your property. In
rural areas and some older areas, the meter may be in a
different spot, but it is nearly always close to the edge of
your property along a street where the main water line is
located.
Units of Measure
Your water meter measures cubic feet, not gallons. Each
cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons. EMWD bills in 100 cubic
foot increments - called “billing units” - which equals 748
gallons of water.
Reading the Meter
Analog meters: The register on your water meter reads
very much like the odometer on a car. On most of our
meters, the last two digits on the right side are a different
color from the rest of the numbers on the gauge. Meter
readers do not read the last two numbers on these meters.
The next series of numbers to the left is the number of
billing units that have passed through the meter.
In the analog example (middle right), the meter shows
that 235 billing units of water have passed through the
meter. To determine the number of units of water that
have been used, subtract the number
shown in a previous reading from the
current number. For example, if the
previous reading had been 200, subtract
that number from the current reading
of 235, and you will know that 35 billing
units of water have been used.
Digital meters: The registers have 9 digits
on the face. This last five digits on the
right side measure from 1/1000 cubic
feet to 10 cubic feet. The next series
of numbers to the left is the number of
billing units that have passed through the
meter. Those are the numbers used to
calculate your usage.
Do You Have a Leak?
Most leaks are from broken irrigation lines and running toilets. A broken
irrigation main or lateral line 1” or smaller will waste between 1,200 to over
3,000 gallons per hour. A silent toilet leak can be as small as 30 gallons per
day. However, larger leaks can be up to 5 gallons per minute (equivalent to
9 billing units per day)!
Here’s an easy way to let your meter tell you whether you have any leaks
that are costing you money and that you should have fixed.
Most meters have a sweep hand much like the second hand on a clock. Some
meters also (or instead) have a small diamond or triangle set in the face
of the meter. These are used as leak detectors because they turn if there
is any movement of water through your meter. Digital meters have a “flow
indicator” icon (usually a “+” or “-” symbol).
To check for a leak, turn off all water faucets and water-using appliances on
your property, indoors and out. When you are done, look at your meter. If the
sweep hand or the diamond/triangle is moving (or if there is a “+” symbol on a digital flow indicator),
there is water passing through your meter. That means either you’ve forgotten to turn something off,
or you have a leak on your side of the meter.
Please Note: EMWD does not repair leaks on your side of the meter. That is your responsibility. You
may wish to call a plumber, because hidden leaks can be very expensive.
Water Consumption Facts:
•Hand washing dishes uses approximately 2 gallons per minute.
•A high efficiency dish washer uses between 4 to 6 gallons per load and consumes up to 35 percent
less water by doing a full load of dishes, which haven’t been pre-rinsed, compared to hand-washing.
•High efficiency toilets use 1.28 gallons per flush. Nonefficient toilets use up to 5 gallons per flush.
•High efficiency shower heads use 2 gallons per minute, or
20 gallons for a 10 minute shower. Non-efficient shower
heads use up to 12 gallons per minute, or 120 gallons for a
10 minute shower, equal to the daily allocation of 2 people.
•High efficiency clothes washers use an average of 8 gallons
per load. Standard washing machines use up to 40 gallons
per load.
•Typical residential sprinkler systems with pop up spray
heads will use approximately 2 gallons per minute (gpm),
per head. To estimate consumption, multiply the number
of heads by 2 (gpm), and then by the number of minutes
you run them. This will give you the approximate gallons
used per cycle.
By installing more efficient water fixtures
and regularly checking for leaks, households
can reduce daily indoor per capita water
use by about 35 percent.