Reading Your Water Meter
Reading your water meter is like reading the odometer of your car.
The district uses several different water meters. Please reach out and one of our technicians would be more than happy to meet you and show you how to read your meter.
Reading your meter yourself can help you monitor your water use, check for suspected leaks, or experiment with efficient landscape watering.
Leak Detection
Leaks are a common cause of higher-than-expected water bills. Your water meter may
be your most useful tool in identifying leaks on your property.
Here is a simple way to determine if you have water loss:
- Turn of all faucets and any appliances that use water
- Locate your water meter and open the lid to view the meter
- Note the position of the low flow indicator
- Don’t use any water. If you see movement immediately, you may have a large water loss
- Wait 20 – 30 minutes. Check the position of the low flow indicator. If it has moved, you may have water loss occurring in your system.
- If your meter has a low flow indicator and you notice movement while your water is off, you most likely have water loss.
- If you have noticed an increase in your meter reading, it is now time to check for areas of probable water loss.
Once a leak has been fixed and you have verified that there is no movement on the meter, please call the district at 360-373-9508 to see if you qualify for a leak adjustment on your bill.
Should you find water in your meter box, please contact the district by email or call us at 360-373-9508.
About Your Meter
Water meters accurately measure all water flow – including leaky faucets and toilets. All water meters are calibrated and certified in accordance with industry standards to ensure accuracy. Please do not turn your meter on or off. This will result in a tampering fee charged by the District. If you need to turn the water on or off for repairs, please call us and we will be happy to assist you.
Water meters are typically located:
- in meter boxes sunk in the ground;
- near the front of your property line on the county easement
If you cannot locate your water meter please call (360)373-9508.
Water meters for North Perry Avenue Water District measure in hundred cubic feet. Note that 1 cubic foot is equal to 7.48 gallons of water
Things to consider about your water meter:
- Look out for leaks – Leaks are a common cause of higher-than-expected water bills. Your water meter may be your most useful tool in identifying water leaks on your property.
- Keep your water meter accessible – Our staff reads your meter every 2 months. Please keep your meter accessible so our staff can quickly read your meter and result in an accurate charge on your bill.
Leak Detection
Use Your Water Meter to Detect Leaks
Leaks are a common cause of higher-than-expected water bills. Your water meter may be your most useful tool in identifying water leaks on your property.
To check for leaks
- Locate your water meter. Water meters are usually located in the parking strip or in the sidewalk at the front or side of the house. If you are unable to check your water meter yourself, call North Perry Avenue Water District at (360) 373-9508 for assistance.
- Locate the shut-off valve for your building. The shut-off valve can be indoors or outdoors. Some buildings may have more than one shut-off valve. If you don’t have a shut-off valve, we advise that you arrange for a plumber to install one.
- Turn off all water faucets and appliances that use water. Check the position of the dial or low flow indicator on your water meter and record your reading.
- After 30 minutes, record another meter reading.
Compare your readings
Your readings should be the same because no water should have been used.
- If the dial or low flow indicator has moved, you have a leak.
- If the dial or low flow indicator is moving, close the building’s shut-off valve. If the dial or low flow indicator stops, your leak is inside the building. Check for running toilets and/or faucets.
- If the dial continues to move when the building’s shut-off valve is closed, you have an underground leak between the water meter and the shut-off valve.
Water Meter Access
Keep Your Water Meter Accessible
Our staff reads your meter every 2 months. Please keep your meter accessible so our staff can quickly read your meter and result in an accurate charge on your bill. If a meter reader can quickly collect a reading from your meter on the first visit to your property, it helps keep utility costs down, which benefits all customers in helping to keep rates stable.
Trees, bushes and plantings
- Trim bushes, trees, and grass that block the way or cover the meter. During the growing season, plants can cover a water meter box very quickly.
- Please minimize plants in the area which meter readers must travel to get to your meter. We would like to avoid any accidental damage to your prized plantings.
Pets
- Keep pets away from the path that leads to your meter.
- If you have a guard dog for security, please let us know so that we can make sure that our meter readers and other utility personnel are aware of this.
- We may ask that you arrange to confine the dog during the day that your meter will be read.
Objects that cover or block your meter
- Please make sure that no objects are placed so that they cover or block access to the meter box. Items we have found blocking water meters include cars, trailers, garbage cans and recycling bins, construction equipment or supplies, landscape bark or gravel.
Your address
- Please ensure your house address is clearly displayed on your residence.
- This also assists emergency personnel who may need to find your home in a hurry.