How to read a water meter and check for leaks

If your water bill is abnormally higher than usual, you may have a leak. Leaks can occur in your irrigation system, toilet, faucets, appliances or within your service line either underground or within your walls.

Service line responsibility

Menlo Park Municipal Water (MPMW) owns, operates, and maintains the infrastructure from the water main up to the water meter. MPMW is responsible for maintaining and repairing any leaks that occur between the water meter and the water main. The property owner owns, operates and maintains the infrastructure past the water meter. It is the responsibility of the property owner to repair any leaks that occur on the service line that begins past the water meter to the property. 

Haga clic aquí para ver está gráfico en español(PDF, 188KB)

Where is my water meter?

• Water meter boxes are typically located near the curb or sidewalk in front of the property. 
• To open the meter box lid and access the meter, carefully use a screwdriver or other small tool to lift the lid of the box.

What does the meter look like? 

• Water meters in the MPMW service area are either analog or digital. The majority of water meters have been replaced by the AMI project to digital meters.
• Please be sure to always maintain a clearance of two feet around the meter box and six foot above so staff can access the meter at all times. 
• To get the read from an analog meter, take the numbers from left to right with a white background. This is the billable meter read in one hundred cubic feet (CCF)

How to read a digital meter

Haga clic aquí para ver está gráfico en español(PDF, 188KB)(PDF, 2MB)

Determine if you have a leak

• Turn off all faucets and water-using appliances.
• Locate your water meter and lift the cover to see the meter dial or screen for digital meters.
• If the needle is still moving on an analog meter, you likely have a leak. If you have a digital meter and a plus sign with a circle around it appears on bottom right of the screen this indicates that there is water actively flowing through the meter and you likely have a leak. 
• Record the entire meter reading while keeping the water off. Wait at least 15-30 minutes.
• Re-read the meter. If the meter read has increased, you likely have a leak.
• If you have a leak, contact a plumber or leak detection agency to find the source and repair it. 

Determine if your leak is inside or outside your home

• Shut off the main water valve to the inside of your house.
• Return to the water meter and lift the cover to see the meter dial or digital screen. If the needle or screen does not show usage increasing, record the meter reading or mark the needle position with a pencil or piece of tape.
• Keep your water off and wait at least 15-30 minutes.
• If the meter read has increased and the water is shut off to the house, you have a leak somewhere outside of the house.
• If the meter read did not increase and the water is shut off to the house, your leak is somewhere inside the house.

AMI project completion coming soon...

Once the AMI project is complete and the new meters are integrated into the billing system, customers will have access to hourly water usage data with automated leak alerts.