Your Water Meter

Knowing where your water is and keeping it clear of landscaping and debris can be helpful when detecting or fixing a leak on your property. Additionally, safe and easy access to water meters aids TVWD's operators during emergency response activities like water main breaks. Operators shutoff water meters during emergency repairs to safely isolate your home's plumbing from the chance of contamination until water service is ready to be restored. 

Caring for Your Water Meter

We recommend customers consider their water meter when maintaining their landscaping.

Water meters need at least two feet of space around all side and six feet vertically above the meter for safe access by meter readers and water operators. 

Please note: TVWD will trim back overgrown landscaping if accessing the water meter is needed and access has not been maintained. 

Locating Your Water Meter

• Your water meter should be near a sidewalk or the curb in front or to the side of your house, typically close to a property line with a neighbor.
• Meters are located inside a concrete or plastic meter box that is flush to the ground.
• Sometimes meter boxes are not easily visible due to landscaping and other obstructions. It's important to keep the meter box free of plants and roots that can obstruct or hide the meter or damage the service line.

If you need assistance finding your meter, call TVWD at (503) 848-3000.

Reading Your Water Meter

Reading your meter is like reading the odometer of a car:

• Read the numbers from left to right that appear under the indicator for Cubic Feet.
• The first digit on the right represents one cubic foot. The second from the right represents 10 cubic feet. The third from the right (usually a different color) represents 100 cubic feet, or one CCF, which is the unit TVWD uses for billing purposes.
• One revolution of the meter sweep-hand around the meter's circular face equals one cubic foot or 7.48 gallons.

Note: TVWD bills in CCF, 1 CCF = 748 gallons.