Meter Reading

It is Liberty’s responsibility to read customer water meters to calculate bills accurately. If you think you may have a leak, or you want to check the accuracy of your bill, you can access and read your own meter.

Liberty Meter Reading to Determine Consumption and Billing

Your water meter is read by our meter reading team once every month.  This reading shows the number of gallons a customer has used which is reported as “usage” on your monthly bill. 

Some Liberty water meters are equipped with radio frequency Automatic Meter Reading (AMR) technology whereby a meter reader can obtain an accurate reading without entering your property and manually looking at the meter.  Due to this technology, meter reading can be done from the street unless there is an issue with the device.  Therefore it is possible for some meter covers and the meter face itself to be covered in some dirt or mud.

Reading Your Own Meter and Leak Detection

Reading your own water meter can help you determine if you have leaks that are wasting water and adding unneeded dollars to your water bill. Follow these steps to read your meter if you suspect you have a leak:

1. Locate Your Meter

Your water meter can usually be found in front of your home, or in the utility easement at the back of your property. Start by following a direct line from your main outside faucet towards the street or the back of your yard. Most meters are housed in a concrete box marked “water.”

2. Remove Water Meter Cover

Carefully remove the lid using a large screwdriver or similar tool.* Insert the screwdriver into one of the holes and pry the lid off.

Note: It is dangerous to use only your fingers to open a meter cover – please use caution! Knock on the lid with the screwdriver to check for possible insects, spiders, or other animals that may have gotten into the box.

3. Turn Off ALL Water

Shut off all faucets and water-consuming appliances, including evaporative coolers and ice-makers in refrigerators.

4. Read the Meter

Digital Meters

A digital meter will cycle through four display screens: two screens display the current meter read, one screen displays the size and model of the meter, and another screen displays the rate of water flow through the meter – this is the one to check. When checking for leaks, look at the flow rate not the meter read display. Any flow rate reading above zero (0) indicates a leak. 

Analog Meters

An analog meter shows a large hand on a dial that measures the water use. A complete rotation equals 10 gallons. The display will show the total amount of water that has been registered through the meter, not just the current month’s usage. When checking for leaks, if the numbers are moving, that could indicate a leak. Most analog meters also have a low-flow indicator, such as a triangle or gear, that moves when water moves through the water meter. When checking for leaks, if the low-flow indicator is moving, that could also indicate a leak.

5. Where's the Leak?

There are a few extra steps required to determine if the leak is inside your house, or between the water meter and the house.

• Turn off your house valve. This is often located below the main hose bib on the exterior of the house.
• If the water meter flow rate is anything other than zero, you may have a leak between your house and the water meter. 
• If the flow rate is zero, you may have a leak within your house.
  
  

6. Replace Cover

When you've completed your investigation of the meter, carefully replace the cover.

7. Next Steps if You Detect a Leak

If you think you have a leak, check hose connections, faucets and the toilets for water leaks.

If you have everything turned off and are sure the toilets and connections aren't leaking and yet the water meter flow rate is anything other than zero, you may have a hidden leak in an underground pipe. If you believe this is the case, you may need to call a plumber for assistance.

For more information on leaks, please visit our water leaks page:

Water Leaks

*Please note, some meters are locked. If you need access to your meter, please call our office at 844-367-2030 and we will have someone unlock the meter.