WATER METER
Your water meter is located just below ground in the meter box located on the utility easement, normally adjacent to the street. You read the meter like you would if you were reading the odometer on your vehicle (which you read from left to right). Your water meter registers usage in gallons. By city ordinance, we read your consumption in thousands of gallons. There are five or six number wheels (three or four with with background and two with black background) located across from the register face. The white background numbers are recorded in the hand-held computers carried by each meter reader. If you should attempt to read your water meter, be aware!! Underground installations present certain hazards not found with above ground meters, such as electric or gas. You may find your water meter is home to various insects, spiders, frogs, and even snakes.
Despite these obstacles and other difficulties, our meter reading group reads an average of 1,000 meters per day. There are 5 meter readers on staff who achieve an overall accuracy of 99.85.
The City of Midland uses 3 different brands of meters, all of which meet strict AWWA (American Water Works Association) standards for construction and accuracy.
You can check your water usage by taking your most recent utility bill and locating the "present" reading. By subtracting the "present" reading noted on your most recent bill from the current reading on your meter, you can determine your consumption (in thousands of gallons) since the meter was read last.
If the current reading is less than the "present" reading noted on your bill, a reading error has been made by the meter reader and should be reported to the Customer Service Office at 685-7320 for further investigation. While most errors are corrected prior to billing, some do slip by. Corrections will be make the following month when the meter is read again.
The meter can also assist in determining the presence of "problems" in your plumbing system. Your meter is equipped with a "test hand" which revolves around the face of the meter when usage is taking place. The meter is designed to detect very low flows, frequently associated with most small leaks. To check for leaks, turn off all faucets and equipment which use water. Watch the "test hand" very closely. If any movement is noted and you are sure everything has been turned off, it could indicate a problem somewhere in your system. In most cases, we can have a field representative visit you and assist in finding out the source of the loss. It is important that all sources of water loss are quickly located and repaired. Failure to do so will result in increased consumption and with it, a higher utility bill.
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