How To Read Water Meters - Reading Correctly

There are many benefits to reading your water meter regularly. You can accurately track your water usage by understanding how your meter works. This can help you know your billing estimate and water consumption and potentially help you identify leaks. For example, if you notice a sudden spike in your water usage, it may indicate a leak. Regularly checking your meter is an easy way to help conserve water and save money. In this blog post, we explain how to read your water meter.

What is a water meter?

A water meter is a device that measures the amount of water flowing through a pipe. Water meters are usually installed at the customer’s premises and may be digital or mechanical. In some cases, water meters can be read remotely.

Water meters are also used to measure the amount of water used for public water supply in parks, irrigation, and wastewater treatment. Water meters are an essential tool for measuring water usage. They can help billing departments determine how much water customers use each month and calculate the customer’s water bill. In some cases, water meters can also be used to track leaks or detect problems within a home or business’s plumbing system.

How do I read my water meter reading?

When you read your meter, you need to record the date of your reading and your unique meter serial number and add your phone number if sending the reading to your water provider for billing.

To calculate your monthly reading, you’ll need to know your previous meter reading. Then, simply subtract the previous reading from the current reading. This will give you the amount of water you’ve used since your last meter reading.

Analogue/Traditional Meters

There are four main parts that can be found across different types of analogue water meters:

Black numbers represent kilolitres ( 1000 litres/ or one cubic meter)
Red Numbers on Water Meter – Shows the amount of water in litres
Water Meter’ Dial’ – the red dials indicate usage of water in decilitres (100ml) increments
Water Meter Spinning’ Cog’ – Indicate usage of water in 10 millilitres (10ml) increments

To read your meter, start from the left to right. The black and white numbers represent kilolitres (1,000 litres), and the red numbers represent litres. Most water meters across Australia use the same concept. That is, the first 4 digits represent Kiloliters, and the last three digits represent litres.

Note:

You do not need to record the last three digits (in red) as the billing is usually calculated per cubic meter (kilolitre) of water used.
Remember to indicate the date you took the reading and your meter number if sending the details to the water company.

Digital & Remotely-Read Water Meters

Digital meters are newer than analogue ones, but they work in a very similar way. The digital meter will have either a small screen or a series of lights showing you how much water you’ve used. The key distinction is that they are battery-powered and can transmit data remotely to the water distributor.

A remotely read meter is almost similar to digital water meters, but it uses a low-powered wireless transmitter that allows meter readings to be taken up to 50 meters away. It works similarly to a garage door remote. This allows meter readers to take readings without having to enter the property.

For both digital and remotely read water meters, you can still manually check the actual reading by looking at the meter itself. The number will either be on a small screen or a series of lights.

To calculate your actual water usage, you’ll need to know your previous usage reading and subtract it from your current reading. This will give you the amount of water you’ve used since your last meter reading.

How To Read A Water Meter. FAQS

Where is my water meter located?

Most water meters are generally installed at the front of your property by the sidewalk or nature strip at ground level inside a box. Occasionally, however, it might be above ground. If you live in an apartment or townhouse, then yours is likely located at the front of your complex, though not every unit block has one for each lot.

What do the numbers mean on a water meter?

The black numbers on a water meter represent the amount of water that has been used in a given period. They are the important figures to read if you want to know or calculate your household water consumption The most common unit of measurement is gallons, but some meters may use kiloliters or cubic feet.

Why is it important to read my water meter?

Regularly reading your water meter can help you track your daily water usage, identify potential leaks, and estimate your monthly water bill. It is also a good idea to read your meter if you are planning renovations that might impact your water usage, such as adding a pool or watering a new garden.