Reading Your Meter 

All meters measure the amount of water used in cubic feet. One cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons. Your water meter has a set of numbers similar to the odometer in your car, and the numbers spin as you use water. Simply read the numbers to know how many cubic feet of water you've used. In the illustrated example, the meter indicates that 7,896 cubic feet of water have been used. This number represents a starting point. At the end of the month, read the meter again. Subtract 7,896 from the end-of-the-month reading to find out how many cubic feet were used during the month. Be aware that the amount you are billed won't match the reading exactly unless you read the meter at the same time as the meter reader.

Other meter features include a sweep hand and the numbers 0-9 arranged clockwise around the face, as shown in the illustration. One revolution of the sweep hand represents one cubic meter of water used. The small triangle on the meter is a leak indicator. To determine a leak, turn off all water. If the triangle is moving, water is going through the meter, which indicates that a leak is possible.