How to Read a Water Meter
Water meters measure the amount of water that travels through a conduit, typically expressed in either cubic feet or gallons. In residential applications, water meters are positioned along a main line leading to a home carrying water supplied by a public water system.
Water meters are often compared to the odometers found in automobiles. Although homes supplied by well water do not ordinarily have meters, the majority of homes with water supplied by utility providers do. In California, water meters have been required in the construction of new homes since 1992, and homes built earlier must add a meter by a 2025 deadline.
Benefits of Tracking Your Water Usage
Why is properly reading a water meter and tracking your water usage important? The primary reasons why homeowners are encouraged to track their consumption of water are to save money on water utility expenses, detect water leaks and for the betterment of the environment. A negative environmental impact occurs when water is wasted, as systems such as those that treat, pump and heat water consume more energy and generate increased carbon emissions that further climate change.
Homeowners should also remember that a small leak could escalate into a costly flood.
Several U.S. states, including Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas lack a sufficient supply of fresh water, and tracking water usage and preventing waste are ongoing priorities.
Where is My Water Meter Located?
In many regions, water meters are positioned in a cement or metal compartment near the street in front of the home, which is sometimes referred to as a meter box or meter vault. In these applications, you will need to lift or remove a lid to gain access to the meter. In some regions, particularly those with harsh winter weather, water meters are located in basements, often below utility sinks or in utility closets.
If you need additional help finding your water meter, click here.
Types of Water Meters
The majority of home water meters are either analog or digital.
Analog Water Meters
Analog water meters are the traditional style with mechanical displays that appear “clock-like” with pointers (hands) that move clockwise and an odometer.
Description and Components
Analog meters have moving hands that display your water usage. The hands typically move to the next number after either one gallon or one cubic foot of water passes through, and each complete rotation of the hand typically equates to 10 gallons or 10 cubic feet.
How to Read an Analog Water Meter
The face of your water meter, often covered by a plastic, flip lid, tracks your water with either an analog dial or digital reader. An analog dial meter will have one or more moving hands that move clockwise around the meter. If your meter has an analog dial, your water usage will be recorded in either gallons or cubic feet, as indicated on the bottom of the face of your water meter. As the hand moves from one number to the next, 1 gallon or 1 cubic foot of water as passed through your meter. So when the moving hand makes a complete rotation of the face of the water meter, 10 gallons or 10 cubic feet of water has passed through your water meter. To read a water meter in gallons, take note of the number at the bottom of your water meter. The number to the far right is a “standing 0”, represented by the number of gallons used as indicated by the hand.
The meter above is an analog meter that reads: 302152 gallons.
Some analog water meters read water usage in cubic feet, instead of gallons, and incorporate a decimal point, reading like an odometer in a car. The conversion between cubic feet and gallons is 1 cubic foot = 7.48 gallons of water; to calculate your water usage in gallons on a meter that reads in cubic feet, multiply the number on the bottom of the face of your water meter by 7.48. Take note of the decimal point; on these odometer water meters, the decimal point may be written as a period or a comma.
The meter above in an analog meter that reports in cubic feet and reads: 9,048gallons.
The meter above in an analog meter that reports in cubic feet and reads: 269.28 gallons.
Digital Water Meters
Most newer models are digital water meters, which have an LCD or similar screen.
Description and Components
Utility providers today can often read digital meters remotely. If you are reading the meter, you might need to use a flashlight or the light on your smartphone to activate the digital display.
How to Read a Digital Water Meter
The digital meter above reads: 75.5 gallons.
A digital water meter will not have moving hands; instead, the numbers on the face of your digital meter will resemble the image below:
If your digital water meter is blank, shine a light (sunlight, flashlight, or cellphone light) on the solar panel at the top of the face of your meter to active the reader. Digital water meters will alternate between showing your water usage and the rate of water used. When showing your reading, digital water meter reads as is and includes a decimal point. When showing the rate of water used, the number on the screen is represented by gallons per minute, and will appear on the right side of the screen.
The digital meter above reads: 9,043.32 gallons.
The digital meter above reads: 15.21 gallons.
Understanding Your Water Bill
Water use is typically measured in cubic feet (cu ft) or gallons (gal). Many utilities use centum cubic feet (CCF), also known as hundred cubic feet (HCF), where one CCF equals 748 gallons. Bills often round water usage to the nearest HCF. Key components of a water bill include::
- Service fee: A fixed monthly cost for providing water service.
- Water volume: A variable amount based on water use for the period multiplied by the current rate (per gallon or cubic feet).
- Wastewater volume: A variable amount of water leaving the home and entering the sewer system.
Are you noticing a discrepancy between your reading and your billing statement? Instead of using an “actual” reading, some water companies may estimate water use based on the prior year’s usage. Keep in mind that the dates when the meter is read may differ, as well as the billing cycle’s start and end dates.
How to Read a Water Meter for Leaks
To check for leaks, turn off all water and water-using appliances and check the meter reading. Wait for at least 30 minutes (without using water) and recheck the meter reading to see if there is a change. Today’s digital meters have visual alerts or indicators that will signal if a possible leak exists.
Are you looking for a more effective method of detecting water leaks? The Flume Smart Home Water Monitor system features a water sensor that attaches to your meter, continually monitors water usage and alerts you when leaks are detected.
How Flume Simplifies Tracking Water Usage
The Flume Smart Home Water Monitor makes it easy to assess your water use by allowing you access to data in real time by simply opening the Flume app on your smartphone. The Flume Water Sensor uses some of the latest technology, including machine learning, to detect anomalies in water flow that may suggest the presence of a leak. Using your home’s Wi-Fi network, the sensor can communicate with the Flume app.
Now that you know how to read your water meter, you might want to more specifically track water usage in your home. One of the best features of the Flume Smart Home Water Monitor is Detail +. Using Detail +, you can see where the water used is going such as the percentage used by toilets, dishwashers or showers.
The Detail+ Comparisons feature allows you to compare your current water usage for a time period with the usage of a previous time period. For example, you may choose to compare water over daily, weekly or monthly intervals.
The Flume Smart Home Water Monitor now integrates with various other smart systems commonly used by homeowners. Recently, Flume partnered with YoLink, allowing users to connect their Flume device to shut-off valves. This integration enables automatic water shut-off when a leak is detected.
Additionally, Flume integrates seamlessly with popular virtual assistant technologies such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Track Your Water Usage with Flume Water Today
A water meter reading is the basic means of determining your home’s overall water use. Homeowners should familiarize themselves with reading their type of analog or digital meter and how to use the meter as a means of detecting possible water leaks. Early leak detection is important, as relatively minor leaks may worsen and create costly property damage.
Water leaks can waste water, which may inflate your utility bills and have an adverse impact on the environment. The Flume Smart Home Water Monitor is a valuable tool for quickly detecting leaks and provides you with a comprehensive, whole-home view of how water is being used.
Resources:
https://www.dailynews.com/2014/09/06/california-homes-lack-water-meters-during-drought/
