Direct & Touch Read Meters
No matter which type of meter serves your home, reading the meter is essentially the same process. Meters are read left to right across like the odometer in your car.
KPUD uses several types of water meters to accurately measure your water usage. “Direct” read meters (left image above) have a large clock-like face and are visually read by opening the meter box. “Touch-read” meters, both mechanical and digital (center and right image above), are equipped with a reading cord to allow the efficient reading of water meters without the need to open the meter box lid.
Most water meters have a leak indicator that spin to visually display very low flows of water. Meters may have a small black triangle, a red round indicator with a pointer, a small black wheel, or a digital + sign to indicate water flowing through the water meter.
How to Use Your Water Meter to Check for Leaks
Locate your water meter. These are often found near one of the corners on your property located in a black lid boxes flush to the ground (some are green, some are concrete).
Turn off all water using appliances in the home. This includes all indoor and outdoor faucets.
Check and record the current meter reading.
Wait 15 minutes (minimum) although overnight is better. Remember, do not use any water while you are waiting!
Read the water meter again. If the reading has changed, then you have a leak that requires immediate attention.
Call KPUD Customer Service at (360) 779-7656 if you need assistance locating the water meter.
Hint
Locate the master water supply (house shut-off) valve and label it. The master supply valve can then be easily turned off in case of a leak or broken pipe.
Fact
A simple dripping faucet can waste far more water in a single day than one person needs for drinking in an entire week. Conserve water and save money by finding and fixing leaks.
Water meters do not reset.
Leak Adjustments
Customers who have found a water leak on their side of the water meter and have remedied the situation may be granted a water leak adjustment.
What You Will Need
Complete a Leak Adjustment Request Form (PDF) and send or email it to the KPUD, explaining the circumstances of the leak
Documentation of the repair, i.e. receipts, invoices or photographs
If You Can’t Find the Leak
KPUD staff will reread the water meter and do an on-site visit to investigate possible water loss if the customer cannot find or explain where the water was used.
If water use is determined to be unexplainable or unaccounted for by KPUD, an adjustment to the water bill may be made.
The customer will need to complete a Leak Adjustment Request Form (DOC) and send or email it to the KPUD requesting an adjustment.
How Adjustments Are Determined
- If the KPUD decides to make an adjustment, the adjusted bill will be determined by averaging the last 3 years consumption of the same billing period
- This amount will be billed at the normal tiered water rates
- The leak consumption over this average will be billed at the lowest cost water tier rate
Leak adjustments are not intended to be granted more than once every 5 years without extraordinary circumstances.
If you have any questions, or need assistance, please contact our office at (360) 779-7656 or you may send an email to Customer Service.