How to Read Your Water Meter

Read your meter to conserve water and save money

Understanding how to read your water meter can help conserve water and lower your water bill.

Common reasons for high water consumption include toilets hanging up or not sealing properly, sprinkling your lawn longer than intended, or a leak.

The City of Woodburn has radio read water meters.  They are light activated. On a sunny day, the screen will wake up and display readings within a few seconds of being exposed to sunlight.  On a cloudy day, or in the evening, shining a flashlight will accomplish the same thing. 

Here are the steps to reading your meter:

1. Locate your meter box.  It is usually near the front of your property, close to the street.

2. Lift the lid by placing a screwdriver in the hole and pulling it up.

3. Open the black plastic screen on the meter register and give it a moment to wake up.

4. The screen will toggle back and forth between the Reading and a RATE.

5. On the Reading screen, record the numbers left to right up to the decimal point.

6. Check the reading again at the same time the next day and subtract your first reading from the second reading.  This is how much water went through your meter in a 24 hour period.  (The city measures water usage in cubic feet.  1 cubic foot = 7.48 gallons.)

7. On the RATE screen, if no water is running the RATE should be zero.  If it does show a RATE - you may have a leak.

Checking your meter periodically can alert you to possible usage issues.

We can also arrange for a member of our water staff to meet with you and explain the process.  Call 503-982-5380 to set up an appointment.