How to Read a Dlj Analog Gallons Water Meter
Is your home the type that needs its ain dam to keep up with water demands, or is water used sparingly in your household? Whether you're taking a shower or washing the dishes, nosotros all use water in our day-to-twenty-four hour period lives, and someone must foot the bill. While water bills aren't a surprise to many Aussies, the way we're charged can be.
In this article, we cover everything you need to know well-nigh water meters in Australia. So, if you're wondering where those precious drops are coming from, and how it's all calculated, then look no further as we dive into the nitty gritty of residential water meters.
Skip ahead to:
- What is a water meter?
- Where is my water meter located?
- How to read your h2o meter
- Who reads your water meter?
- Understanding your water bill
- Why is my water bill then high?
What is a water meter?
A water meter is an instrument that monitors water consumption at homes and businesses. Similar to a gas meter, water meters tape a holding'south water usage for billing purposes. Most residential properties volition accept a h2o meter installed that measures water usage in kilolitres (KL) or cubic metres (Mthree) with 1KL and 1M3 equal to 1,000 litres.
How does a water meter piece of work?
H2o meters are built to record water that flows through your property from a item supply system. There are cogs and spindles inside your water meter that rotate when a specific volume of water has passed through the meter, which is then measured by a handful of dials with numbers on them to reverberate the amount of water used.
Types of h2o meters
Like electricity meters, there are two types of water meters generally constitute on backdrop. The most common types are conventional meters, known as analog meters, which vary depending on the make, model and size. On the other hand, in that location are more technologically advanced meters which are called digital water meters.
- Analog water meter: Plant in about households, these water meters usually take blackness, white or ruby numbers displayed on the panel. Some common brands include Elster, GVT, Itron and RMC.
- Digital water meter: Has an attached communication device that allows readings to exist recorded remotely, which is then sent direct to the h2o supplier for billing purposes.
Some backdrop in certain areas may also be connected to a recycled water meter, which is measured and billed separately from a normal meter.
Where is my water meter located?
Your water meter will unremarkably be located at the front of your house virtually the nature strip or sidewalk, and will be constitute at ground level within a meter box. However, some water meters may be located above ground. For those who alive in apartments or townhouses, your water meter will probable be establish at the forepart of your complex, simply not all unit blocks will have private meters for each lot.
How many h2o meters are at my firm?
The amount of h2o meters at your property will depend on where y'all alive and what type of meters are available in your surface area. For case, if you lot alive on a recycled water network, you may have an boosted water meter that charges y'all separately to your regular meter. Again, information technology's best to check your address with your water supplier or refer to the breakdown of charges listed on your last water bill.
How to read your h2o meter
Depending on the type of water meter at your premises, you'll need to open the meter box and lift the lid which shows a sequence of numbers in 1 colour side by side to numbers in another colour. If you lot have an RMC h2o meter, the numbers in the top brandish show kilolitres, while the round dials are litres which are read clockwise. In the example below, this Elster h2o meter reading is 397KL in white and 269L in red.
The Itron water meter beneath reads 477KL and 34L. As you can see, the reading looks much dissimilar to the Elster water meter, however both meters have kilolitres displayed in ane colour, while the litres are shown in another colour.
Tin can you lot submit a water reading?
Aye, you can submit a water meter reading to your h2o supplier, provided yous've given them some details, such as the date of your reading, your unique series meter number, as well as the reading itself. Virtually water companies will prompt you to submit a h2o reading by leaving a menu in your letterbox stating they could not access your meter. Water readings tin normally exist submitted online, over the phone or past posting the self-reading card back to your h2o supplier.
Who reads your h2o meter?
Ordinarily, a contractor from your water supplier or retailer volition read your meter on an judge appointment that'south found on your bill. This normally takes place every three months or quarter, only will vary between water suppliers. Wild weather, locked gates, operational factors and dogs on properties can impact water meter readings, and so billing periods may vary from fourth dimension to time. For instance, 1 billing menstruum may state 90 days, while another may exist charged for 85 days.
Why is my water meter reading estimated?
Estimated water meter readings have identify when a meter is inaccessible, due to a locked gate or a dog on the premises. Other reasons may be because the water meter is damaged or faulty and is unreadable, or the contractor cannot locate the water meter. Approximate readings are normally based on the property's previous h2o usage, also equally the side by side bill'due south water usage which has had an bodily reading have place.
Why is my h2o meter covered?
H2o meters are covered to prevent them being exposed to atmospheric condition and other elements. Meters are usually found in an enclosed box that'due south hugger-mugger which is connected to the water mains, allowing h2o to be supplied directly to your property. Always wearable protective gloves when yous open up a h2o meter box every bit they are known to house spiders, snakes and other creepy crawlies.
Understanding your h2o bill
Whether you're billed monthly or quarterly, your water beak statement volition take quite an all-encompassing breakup of fees and charges for water usage and supply. Some of the central account information to look out for is:
- Business relationship number: An identification number for your water billing account.
- Bill number or reference: The specific reference ID of your bill.
- Property address: Your h2o meter'south billing accost.
- Bill due engagement: The payment engagement your issued water bill is due.
- Billing menses: A monthly, quarterly or bi-annually period of your water charges.
- Judge appointment of side by side meter reading: The next estimated date your water supplier volition read your meter.
- Total amount due: The total amount payable to your water supplier.
- Previous bill amount: The total corporeality yous paid on your last bill.
- Usage habits: Historical water usage data that compares with current usage.
- Business relationship details: Details of your water meter/s on your belongings, including readings.
- Fees and charges: A thorough list of costs for water usage and fixed supply charges.
- Payment options: All of the bachelor ways to pay your bill.
If you'd like to get a sense of what the average water bill looks like, then read our guide here.
Why is my h2o pecker so high?
There are various factors to consider if you've received a larger than expected water nib. Water leaks can be a common cause of loftier water bills, however it may be due to h2o rates increasing in your local area, or lifestyle factors that increase demand for water usage. If a leak is suspected, plow off all h2o at your premises and avert using any water for an hr. Check the meter and have note of the dials by jotting downward a reading. Come back in one case an hr has passed to see if the dials have moved.
Additional reading:
- Water Rates in Sydney
- Water Rates in Brisbane
How to lower your h2o bill
And so, with a bit of general cognition on how h2o meters work, you could exist in a improve position to cut dorsum those dreaded water costs. Being familiar with your water meter shouldn't be a hard job, and by recognising when and where you use water the most, you may run into a pleasant change in your next bill, provided your household has made the correct adjustments.
With the cost of living getting more than expensive, it may be time to go proactive about your utilities and seek out ways to not merely lower your water bills, merely likewise your electricity bills. If you lot haven't compared energy deals in a while, y'all could be missing out on some serious bargains.
Image credits: Yevhen Prozhyrko/Shutterstock.com, Wikipedia Commons, gmstockstudio/Shutterstock.com
Source: https://www.canstarblue.com.au/home-garden/water-meters/
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