Reading Your Meter & Monitoring Water Use

Your water meter reads in gallons. Your consumption is displayed much like the odometer on a car.

Monitoring Water Use

Most of us already subconsciously monitor our water usage. After all, you know something is wrong when you get a higher than usual bill, right? The key is to determine if it is a seasonal change or a leak. We also need to be aware that some leaks can "sneak up" on us, starting slowly, with no signs, and before you know it you have the biggest trees in the neighborhood and your water bill is $700 a month!

It's always a good practice to not only look at what you pay for water, but to monitor how much water you use. You should compare your current water use to past use. If no past use information is available (new home, new to you, rental, etc.) you could compare how much water you use to your neighbors, keeping in mind that your neighbors may have different water needs. OR – you could write down your meter reading at a set time of the day. Write another reading the same time the next day. The difference is your water consumption for that 24-hour period.

Did You Know?

  • A leak of one drop per second wastes 10,000 liters of water per year.
  • Fixing a toilet that silently leaks can save you up to 500 gallons of water per day.
  • Installing high efficiency plumbing fixtures and appliances can help a typical family of four reduce indoor water use by one-third.
  • The average family of four in Canada consumes 35 cubic Meters (7,900 Gallons) of water per month. Use your meter to find out how much you consume. Knowing how to read your meter allows you to monitor your water consumption and detect leaks in your plumbing.
  • A new Ultra Low Flow toilet uses six liters per flush while the older flush toilets use 18 liters.
  • Replace your 20 liter per minute showerhead with a low flow nine and a half liter per minute showerhead and you will use less than half the water.
  • Heating water accounts for 19 per cent of home energy use.
  • Homes and farms that institute broad water efficiency programs have been able to reduce overall water use by up to 20 percent, not only conserving water supplies and reducing water pollution but also cutting costs for new water treatment facilities.