Most water meters are found in the front yard of a residential home. They are in a metal box that is covered with a metal plate and are usually found by the curb or by the front sidewalk. The meter itself is about 3 or 4 inches in diameter and it usually has a digital face with numbers. Some also have a moving hand.

The purpose of the water meter is to measure the amount of water that the property uses. Some meters measure this in gallons, others in cubic feet.

Many first time homeowners may not be aware of the importance of their water meter or how it can help them to locate possible leaks which in turn could save them money.

So, let’s go over some vital information about residential water meters.

Why Is It Important To Find and Read Your Water Meter?

There really are 2 main reasons why every homeowner should know where their water meter is and how to read it.

  1. It’s a great way to find out how much water your household uses in a day. Simply read the numbers on the meter in the morning before anyone uses any water and then read them again at night after everyone has gone to bed.
  2. If your water bill is higher than usual, this is a sign that there may be a leak somewhere in your plumbing system. A water meter can help you validate if there is a leak for sure. Simply turn off all the water in your home. Check the meter and if it’s still running then you know that there’s a leak somewhere.

How Do I Find My Water Meter?

As we mentioned above, residential water meters are underground, in a metal box which is covered by a metal plate. They are usually located in the front yard somewhere by the curb or by the sidewalk.

If you are unable to locate your meter, we recommend that you ask some of your neighbors or contact your local water department for help.

Here are some local water departments near the Atlanta, Ga area.

American Water Services – 706-348-6215
City of Atlanta Department of Water – 404-546-0311
Clayton County Water Authority – 770-960-5200
Cobb County Marietta Water Authority – 770-514-5300
Cobb County Water System – 770-419-6200
Dekalb County Water and Sewer Service – 404-378-4475
Douglasville Water Department – 770-949-7617
Forsyth County Water Department – 770-781-2160
Fulton County Water Department – 404-612-6830
Gwinnett County Water Resource – 678-376-6700
Paulding County Water Department – 770-222-6868
Walton County Water and Sewer – 770-466-4887
Water Service Division – 770-640-3040

Where Is My Water Meter If I’m In An Apartment?

Some apartment buildings have water meters for multiple apartments and some have individual water meters – you will have to find out from your building manager or landlord where those water meters are.

How To Read Your Water Meter

Follow these steps to read your water meter.

  • Lift the lid off your water meter box. You can sometimes just use your finger to do this but you may need a screwdriver too.
  • Use a rag to wipe away any leaves or dirt from the face of the meter itself so that you can read it.
  • You should see a small triangular shaped object in the meter turning – this is normal.
  • You will also notice a large sweep hand that is moving slowly around the meter in a clockwise direction. This is counting the gallons or cubic feet of water that runs through the meter to your home.
  • When the sweep hand goes from “0” at the top of the meter to the “1” – that means that 1 gallon or cubic feet of water has been delivered.
  • When the sweep hand goes a full circle around the meter – 10 gallons have been used.
  • If the sweep hand is not moving much at all (but the small triangular object is) that means that there is very little water moving through the meter to your home.
  • The numbers on the odometer go up to the millions. So, if the number is 6628341, that means that 6,628,341 gallons or cubic feet of water has passed through this particular meter.

If you have any questions about your water meter or are having some problems with it, call Atlantis Plumbing today at 770-505-8570. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.