STEP 1 Locate your meter box, generally found towards the front of a property, near the road. It is housed in a plastic box usually marked with a "water meter" sign. Remove the lid by using a tool such as a large screwdriver. Insert the tool into one of the holes and pry the lid off.
STEP 2 Once you open the meter box lid, lift the protective cap on the meter and determine if you have a digital meter or dial meter.
Digital Meter: This meter is activated by light. The first set of numbers that comes up is the meter's serial number and the second set of numbers is the meter reading. The third set of number is the rate of flow, this indicates if water is passing through the meter. Meters measure water in gallons or cubic feet. Charges for the amount of water consumed are rounded to the nearest thousand gallons or hundred cubic feet used during a billing period.
Dial Meter: On the face of the meter, there is a dial and a display of numbers. For the residential meter, each rotation of the dial measures 10 gallons. Read the number display from left to right, this is your meter reading. If the dial is turning, water is passing through the meter. Meters measure water in gallons or cubic feet. Charges for the amount of water consumed are rounded to the nearest thousand gallons or hundred cubic feet used during a billing period.
