Your Water Meter

Water Meter
The following is information for existing customers about your water meter, how to read it and how to verify meter accuracy.

Your water meter is a brass device that measures the amount of water flowing through the water line. The meter is usually located in the basement or utility room where the water line enters the building. Your meter is read like the odometer on a car, from left to right. The numerals with the white background are the ones recorded by the meter reader. To confirm the accuracy of your meter reading, look at your latest bill and check the reading. Compare that reading with the reading you obtain from the meter. If the reading on the water meter is not the same or slightly larger than that on the water bill, call us for a review of your billing.

Reading Your Meter
Below is an image of a typical residential water meter. 

RegularMeter - Copy

The row of numbers across the meter represents the total amount of water that has passed through the meter since it was originally placed in service. Your bill is determined by calculating how much this number increases from the start of a billing period to the end of a billing period. The unit of measurement recorded by the meter is cubic feet. (1 cubic foot is equivalent to 7.5 gallons of water)

Your meter is designed to help you protect yourself from high water bills caused by water leaks in your home’s plumbing.
The red dial on the lower right face of the meter rotates with water usage. The dial is very sensitive, and is designed to rotate even when small amounts of water are passing through the meter. If the red dial on your meter is rotating, or has rotated, even when you believe no water is being used in your house (such as overnight) you may have a water leak. Please check your meter periodically to see if your red dial is rotating. If you suspect you may have a leak, please check your interior plumbing and toilets for leaks.  If you cannot find a leak, please contact the Waterloo Water Works to have your home checked by one of our employees. The Water Works provides this water leakage check as a courtesy at no cost to you!

Help us help you avoid high water bills!
Does your meter have a digital display, like the one below?

DigitalMeterCoverClosed - CopyDigitalMeterCoverOpen - Copy

If so, your meter works the same way, except a leak is indicated by the Leak Detector which indicates a leak by showing a solid “+” sign appearing in the lower right hand corner of the meter’s LCD display.

A Small Leak is a Big Deal!
If your home has a water leak that is the diameter of a nail, your three month water bill will increase by 39,400 cubic feet (296,000 gallons). If your home has a water leak that is the diameter of a pencil, your three month water bill will increase by 158,000 cubic feet (1,181,500 gallons)!

If your home has a leak, fix it!

Contact Waterloo Water Works:
By Mail: Waterloo Water Works at P.O. Box 27, Waterloo, IA 50704
In Person: Customer service center at 325 Sycamore St, Waterloo, IA 50703
By Phone: (319) 232-6280