Ultility Bill Information

Meter Reading & Usage

1. How is my meter read and water usage determined?
All meters are read monthly by our meter reader, using either a hand held touch wand to capture the reading or by electronically transmitting the reading via a special antenna to a mobile electronic meter-reading computer. The meter reader schedules your monthly meter reading date as close to every 30 days as our work week permits. Your Water Meter is a specially designed “flow meter” which means it tracks the quantity of water that flows through its chamber and turns the dial as water runs through it. Once the meter reader records the new reading on either the wand or computer, they are downloaded into our utility billing software. They are then electronically compared to the previous reading and the current usage and charges are calculated.

2. What does if mean if my Utility Billing Statement reads?*
*If your current reading is a 0, your account was Estimated
From time to time, we are unable to get a monthly reading of your meter due to inclement weather, construction access or for other reasons beyond our control. When this happens, we will estimate the current usage based on historical use for your account. The estimated usage will either be for the same amount you used in the previous month, or for the same amount used in the previous year for the same month. The decision to use either of these comparable usages depends on the time of year that the estimate is calculated.

When we are able to get an accurate meter reading following a period that has been estimated, our utility billing program re-calculates the usage by going back to the last actual meter reading, subtracting the estimated usage billed for the prior month(s), and charging for the remaining use. There is no “double charging” for use at any point in this process. If your real usage is less than what was estimated for the period, the program applies a credit to your account for the total amount over-charged by the estimation.

3. Can I get a credit on my account if my high usage was caused by a leak?
If you think you have a leak due to higher than expected use on your water bill, please call and request our personnel to check your meter. If our personnel determines that you have a leak, you will be notified.

If you have been notified of a leak or if you already know you have a leak, you may qualify for a Leak Credit. To apply for this credit, you will need to give a written request for a leak credit and provide us evidence that the leak has been fixed. Evidence could be copies of your repairman’s bill or copies of invoices for parts purchased to repair the problem that caused the leak if you made the repair yourself. If approved, a “leak credit” will be applied to your account, in the form of a reduced charge for water use that was in excess of the last year’s seasonal average.

4. What can I do if I think my meter is not recording accurately?
If you are concerned your meter might be malfunctioning, please call our office at (303) 530-4200 to discuss your concerns. We will create a work order for our Distribution personnel to check your meter on site for any problems. If they are unable to find a problem, you can request to have your meter tested. Our personnel will pull your meter, disassemble it in our shop and run tests to see if they can find any problem. If they do find a problem when testing your meter it will be replaced. If we cannot find any problem, you will be charged a Meter Test Fee. This charge will be added to your account.

5. Why is my meter pit lid painted blue and why do I need to keep the area around my meter pit clear of landscaping?
Your meter pit lid and the line from where the water main pipe connects to your meter pit are painted blue to indicate where these water utilities are buried. Each utility uses their own color of paint to locate these utilities so they know not to dig there and also to make locating these utilities easier to find when performing maintenance and repairs. If your meter pit lid is blue, it may be painted to allow our crews to find it, for meter reading or maintenance. The District requires meter pits to have a three foot radius clear of obstructive landscaping to enable our personnel to find your meter pit in the event of an emergency or for routine repair.

6. Who owns my meter pit?
While the meter pit may be located on your property; it still belongs to the District and is our responsibility to maintain and make any repairs to the pit and the equipment inside it. It is against District policy for you to access your meter equipment. The metering equipment in the pit is costly and sensitive and easily damaged, even by removing the lid. If personnel discover that you have tampered with your meter, you will be fined an Illegal Use of Facilities Fee. This fee will be added to your account.

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