Reading the Meter
The first step in reading the water meter is to locate it. It is usually located near the front of your lot as it faces the street, and is enclosed in a meter box. If you are unable to locate the water meter that serves your property, or if you are unsure of which meter in a row of meters serves your property, please contact our Customer Service Department. They can give you the serial number of the meter serving your property, and our engineering department can give you a better idea of its location. Once you have located the meter, lift the lid carefully as it is often a favorite hiding place for spiders and other insects. Have a damp rag available to wipe away any dirt, or mud, that may be covering the meter glass.
The Two Types of Meters
This type of meter reads like an odometer. FPUD charges for water in increments of 1,000 gallons. Each meter's serial number is located on the face of the meter below the register, and can be cross referenced on your water bill. The first 4 digits, from left to right, make up the reading that is sent to the mobile read collector via a radio signal. These are the numbers that record in thousands of gallons. The increase in the first 4 numbers on a monthly or daily basis is what your usage is in thousands of gallons. For example, if your previous read was 1200, and your current read is 1230, you have used 30,000 gallons between readings. The last 3 digits to the right are the hundreds, and are not registered in the mobile collector. The center dial registers flow in 1 gallon increments, so one full rotation of the dial equals 10 gallons. A red triangle is located above the serial number and below/left of the gallon register. This is a low-flow detector, which will rotate if water is passing through the meter (even very small volumes).
Badger meters are currently being used in exchanges throughout the district. Each meter's serial number is located on the lid and can be cross referenced on your water bill. The first 4 digits (black numbers with white backing) on the dial are billable units of 1,000 gallons of water (1 1/2" and 2" meters have 5 dials for billable units). A red five-pronged dial is located below the register. This is a low-flow detector, which will rotate if water is passing through the meter (even very small volumes). These new meters are an essential component to automated metering, which currently provide customers within radio range near real-time water use data accessible through the WaterSmart web portal.
Monthly water use data can be accessed now. Access your WaterSmart customer portal here.