Read Your Meter

Why You Should Read Your Meter

The water meter is a device that measures the amount of water delivered to a property. By reading your meter, you can determine how much water you use in a day and identify whether you have a leak. Water use is measured in cubic feet (approximately 7 ½ gallons) and is billed in units of hundred cubic feet (HCF). One HCF, or unit, equals 748 gallons of water.

Location of Your Meter

Meters are housed in a plastic or concrete box in the ground with a lid marked "water." They are usually located near the curb in front of a home or business, on the left or right side of the property. To remove the lid, insert a screwdriver or similar tool into the hole on the lid and lift it off. Before reaching into the box, check for snakes, spiders and other creatures that may be hiding inside.

How to Read the Meter

Most of Hi-Desert Water District's (HDWD) meters resemble a car odometer. The reading is taken from the numbers shown under the words "cubic feet." The last two numbers on the dial are not used for billing.

Determining Water Use

Read your meter at the beginning and end of a day and compare the two reads to figure out how much water you and your family used. Numbers after the decimal point are not used for billing, so if the meter reads 81710, the utility bill will read 817.

Check for Leaks

Turn off all the taps in your house or business, then look at your meter. If the small dialing in the center is still turning, chances are you have a leak somewhere. Contact a plumber right away.

Help Your Meter Reader

It is important to keep the area around the meter box clear so District staff can get access to read and service the meter. If you have any questions about locating or reading your meter, please call the District's Customer Service Department at 760-365-8333.