STEP 1 Locate your meter box, generally found towards the front of a property, near the street. The box is typically in a direct line with the main outside faucet. It is housed in a meter pit with a medal lid.
STEP 2 Once you open the meter box lid, lift the protective cap on the meter. On the face of the meter, there is a large 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. Be sure to include the stationary zero. This is your meter reading. Meters measure water in gallons. Charges for the amount of water consumed are rounded to the nearest hundred gallons used during a billing period. Compare that reading to what your bill states as your current or present reading.
STEP 3 Keep in mind that you might be checking your meter on a date different from the one used for billing. This could result in a difference in the amount you find, compared with the amount on which your bill is based. However, if your reading is considerably higher than what is on your bill, check for a leak or try to determine the source of large water use. You can reference the picture of the meter and see the silver dial, if the dial is turning any that is a indication of a water leak. Be sure all facets are turned off.
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