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There are several reasons why you’d want to be able to locate and read your water meter. First, you might be interested in how much water you use in a day. The second reason is to check for a leak. Routinely checking for leaks and monitoring your water bills closely can help reduce the likelihood that leaks will go unnoticed.
Most water meters are in the Right-of-Way at the edge of the road near the property line. The meter will be in a ground level cement box with a lid. Remove the lid. (It is not unusual for the meter box to be filled with water or dirt.) Flip up the plastic cap on top of the meter in the box to expose the register. If you do not know where your meter is located you can call the Customer Service at (425) 787-0220 to get your meter location.
Your register will show a number; most commonly the meter will have six digits. The last two digits on the right may be a different color than the others (see meter image to the right). Write down all the numbers, reading the meter from LEFT TO RIGHT (e.g. 008836). This is your starting point. The next time you read your meter, repeat the process. To determine the amount of water you have used, subtract the starting number from the new number. The resulting amount is your consumption, measured in cubic feet. For example, if the starting number was 008836 and the new number is 010836, you have used 2,000 cubic feet of water.
Most meter registers look like the one pictured here:
Sweep Hand: The sweep hand will rotate when water passes through the meter. One complete turn of the hand equals 1 cubic foot of water or 7.48 gallons.
Leak Indicator: The leak indicator will rotate with very little water flow. Any water moving through the meter is detected, so even small leaks will register.
Odometer: The odometer records total water use in a similar way as the odometer in your car records miles driven. The water meter odometer records water use in cubic feet and displays as follows: The digits from right to left represent 1 cubic foot, 10 cubic feet, 100 cubic feet and so on. Like a car odometer, the water meter odometer cannot be altered.
