Meters
Where is my water meter, and how do I read it?
Your meter is located in the basement of your property or in cases where there is no basement, in an underground meter pit. These pits are dug low enough in the ground that it should prevent meters from freezing. Meters located in a pit can make them sometimes difficult to repair in the winter months. The water usually comes in from the street side of the house. The meter sits on the water pipe that comes in through the floor. The head of the meter is about three inches in diameter and has a large hand and a small red diamond or triangle. Read the six numbers on the meter display, where it says cubic feet, from left to right. Residents in Winchester are billed for every 100 cubic feet only the first four numbers are used for billing.
Note: You may see what looks like water on the face of the dial. It is oil that prevents corrosion and increases the life of the dial mechanism. It does not enter the water supply and does not affect the quality of the water delivered to the customer.
How does the town read the meter?
Most of the water meters in Winchester have a meter pad on the outside of their home. This pad is contacted by wire to the meter whether in a pit or in the basement and allows for transfer of information to be read by the touch of a handheld device, called a meter reader, every quarter by the water department staff.
Note: The Winchester Water Department is currently under going a major upgrade to its metering system to a radio read unit. These new devices allow for the hand held units to receive a radio frequency signal by driving by your home. The installation of these new devices will take some time but will be a more efficient way of transferring data as well as saving many hours of reading meters. Radio readers have the ability to receive a frequency from 150 feet away.
Can I test the accuracy of my water meter?
Customers often think the meter is not working right causing high readings. To test the accuracy of your meter, use the following procedure:
Run water until the test dial (the red sweep hand located on the face of the meter) points to zero. The test hand will be straight up in the 12 o'clock position when it is on zero. Fill a one-gallon container with water. Check the position of the red test dial. It should measure .1333 cubic feet.
What if I feel my bill is too high due to a faulty meter?
Customers may request a meter test be performed by the water department staff. There is a fee for this service and the fee must be paid before the meter is tested. Contact the Water Department at (603) 239-4951, ext.105 to set up an appointment.