how to read a water meter dial in gallons

Locate Your Water Meter

Locate the water meter on your property, usually located in a concrete box near the street labeled “WATER”.

Note: Be very careful when removing your meter box lid. Use two large screwdrivers – one to stick

in the hole and one to pry up the outer edge. Lift the lid just enough to slide it over to the side. Replace the lid by sliding it back into place. Be careful not to drop the lid on the meter!

Anatomy of the Water Meter

Most meters look like one pictured below.

Dial: the dial will rotate when water passes through the meter. One full

rotation of the dial equals 1 cubic foot of water or 7.48 gallons or 1 gallon of water.

Low Flow Indicator: the Low Flow Indicator will rotate with very little

water movement. Any water moving through the meter is detected so

even small leaks will register.

Odometer: the odometer records total water use in a similar way as the

odometer in your car records miles driven. The water meter odometer

records water use in cubic feet and displays as follows: The digits from

right to left represent 1 cubic foot, 10 cubic feet, 100 cubic feet and so

  1.  A Gallons meter is read the same way except on a Gallons meter. The first number reading right to left is fixed and is always zero. Like a car odometer, the water meter odometer cannot be altered.

How to Monitor Your Water Use*

The following steps will show you how to determine how much water you use over

a period of time.

  1. Read the odometer and write it down completely. Then write down the

date you read it. After a period of days (we suggest 7 days) read the

odometer again and write it down and write down the date.

  1. Subtract the first reading from the second reading. This is your water use

in cubic feet or gallons during the period.

  1. If your meter says CF or Cubic feet on the dial, multiply the water use by 7.48. This is your water use in gallons during the period.
  2. Divide the water use in gallons by the number of days between readings.

This is your average gallons per day during the period.

  1.  If all faucets and other water connections at your residence are off and the Low Flow indicator is moving, you have a leak.

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