A water meter measures the amount of water that you use, and is read every two months by a representative of Alameda County Water District.

By being able to read your meter you can accurately measure your water use - determining how much water you use over a specific period of time (a day or week for instance), or in the performance of a single job (like watering the lawn).

To do either task, simply record the reading on the meter at the start of the period (or start of the job) and then record the reading at the end of the period or job. Make certain that no one else in the house or yard is using water during the test, or the results will be invalid. The difference between the two readings tells you how many cubic feet of water you used. A cubic foot is equal to 7.5 gallons, so multiply by 7.5 to convert that figure to gallons.

1. The "speedometer" type meter works like the odometer in your car...except it records cubic feet of water instead of miles travelled. The five-figure number shown on the meter gives you the starting and ending readings.
(Example shown is 8,171 cubic feet)

2. The "clock" style meter has six small dials. To get your reading, start with the dial marked 100,000 on the left. The pointer on the dial will be between two numbers. Record the smaller of these two numbers for the first digit of the reading. Going clockwise, follow the same procedure with the next four dials.
(Example shown is 8,171 cubic feet)

Remember, all readings are in cubic feet, so you must multiply by 7.5 to convert to gallons.

Checking for leaks:
The small pointer near the center of a "speedometer" meter or the one-foot dial (it's the one at the lower left) on the "clock" meter can be used to check for a leak in your home's water system. With all water turned off in the house, there should be no movement of the small pointer on the speedometer meter or any of the dials on the clock style meter.