How to read your meter

You can check your water consumption by reading your meter on a regular basis. This can help you:

• see how much water you’re using with sprinklers and appliances
• check for leaks
• check and compare your water usage over time
• estimate how much you will pay for water usage on your next bill

How to read your urban meter

A typical water meter shows a row of numbers on a white background behind glass.

• Black numbers (usually 4) – show your water usage in kilolitres (kL)
• Red numbers (usually 3) – show your water usage in litres (L).

We only read the kilolitres (black numbers).

The meter reading above shows 1386kL usage. We deduct this number from the previous reading to calculate usage.

Each water meter has a unique serial number located on the front of the meter. This number is also displayed on the back of your water bill.

For instructions on reading your water use, see How to check your water use.

How to read your rural meter

For instructions on reading your rural water meter, see How to read your rural meter.

How to calculate water usage

How much water you have used is referred to as ‘consumption’ or ‘water by measure’ on your bill. How many kilolitres (kL) you have used is shown on the back of your bill.

To calculate how much water you have used since your last bill, take your current meter reading and deduct the previous quarterly reading – as shown on your last bill. This will give you the number of kilolitres (kL) that you have used since the last meter reading.

If your meter reading is higher than you think it should be, you may have a leak or the meter may be broken. To learn about maintaining your meter, see Meter maintenance.