Home / Guides / Water meter check
Guide

How to check a water meter for leaks

A water meter check is the simplest way to find out whether water is moving through your plumbing when nothing should be using it. It can tell you that water is flowing. It cannot tell you where the leak is.

Can checking a water meter help confirm unexpected water use?

1
Turn off every water use in and around the home—taps, toilets, irrigation, ice maker, softener, pool fill.
2
Look at your meter and write down the reading, or watch its leak indicator.
3
Wait about two hours without using any water.
4
Look again. If the reading has changed, something is using water. Rule out toilets, irrigation and appliances before assuming a pipe leak.

This is the same basic check the EPA’s WaterSense program recommends.

Before you start: what you should and should not touch

Meters usually belong to the water provider, not the property owner. Keep the check to looking.

Fine to do
Lift a meter box lid that opens freely to read the dial, if your water provider allows customers to read their own meter
Shine a flashlight on the register
Take a photo of the reading
Turn off fixtures and valves inside your own property
Do not do
Break, cut or force a locked meter box
Use tools on the meter, its fittings or the curb stop
Turn a utility-side valve
Reach into a box with standing water, insects or wildlife without care—desert meter boxes can hold scorpions, spiders or snakes

If the meter box is locked or you can’t read it safely, ask your water provider for help.

How can you identify the meter’s flow indicator?

Most residential meters sit in a ground-level box near the street, sidewalk or property line. Some are in a wall box or utility closet, especially in multi-unit buildings.

Part What it shows
Number register Total water used, like a car odometer
Sweep hand One full turn equals a small, set volume of water
Leak indicator (often a small triangle, star or dial) Spins with very small flows—the most sensitive part
Digital display Some meters show flow or a leak symbol; follow the provider’s instructions

Not every meter has a separate leak indicator. If yours does, watch it first.

Step-by-step: the two-hour meter check

Pick a quiet window. Early morning or when everyone is out works well.
Turn off all water use. Include irrigation timers, swamp or evaporative cooler supply, water softener regeneration, refrigerator ice makers and any pool or fountain auto-fill.
Record the reading. Photograph the full register, including the sweep hand position.
Watch the leak indicator for a few minutes. If it’s already spinning, you have flow right now.
Wait about two hours. No flushing, no taps.
Record the reading again and compare.

What does your meter reading mean?

What you see What it most likely means Next step
No change after two hours, indicator still No measurable flow during the test If the bill still seems high, review billing and usage
Leak indicator moving slowly Small continuous flow somewhere Check toilets, then narrow by shutting off branches you control
Sweep hand clearly moved Steady flow Repeat once to confirm, then narrow it down
Reading jumped noticeably Larger flow—possibly something left on or a significant leak Re-check for anything running; if nothing, act promptly
Meter moves only at certain times An automatic use (irrigation, softener, cooler) may be cycling Check timers and schedules

A moving meter shows registered flow. It does not prove a pipe is broken, and it does not show the location.

How can you check a toilet for a running leak?

Toilets are one of the most common hidden water uses.

1
Put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank (not the bowl).
2
Do not flush for at least 10 minutes.
3
If color appears in the bowl, water is leaking from the tank into the bowl.

A leaking flapper or fill valve can keep a meter moving with no visible water anywhere.

Other quiet water uses to rule out

Irrigation valves that do not close fully, or a zone left on
An evaporative cooler with a float valve stuck open
A water softener stuck in regeneration
A pool, spa or fountain auto-fill
A dripping outdoor hose bib or a hose left connected and leaking
A water heater relief valve discharging
A refrigerator or ice-maker line

Narrowing it down with valves you control

If your property has a house shutoff valve on your side of the meter, you can use it to split the system—but only if it is yours to operate and turns without force.

Close the house shutoff—if the meter stops, the flow is likely inside the house or on plumbing after that valve
Meter still moving with the house shutoff closed? The flow may be between the meter and that valve—often a buried line, irrigation tie-in or outdoor branch
Irrigation has its own shutoff? Close it and compare again

Do not force stiff or corroded valves. A broken valve can turn a slow leak into an urgent one.

What can’t a meter check tell you?

Where the leak is
How large the leak is in practical terms, without careful timing
Whether the leak is in a pipe, a fixture, an appliance or irrigation
Whether the meter itself is reading correctly
Who is responsible for the leaking section

Locating usually needs further steps. A professional water meter and pressure-loss investigation uses controlled isolation and pressure checks to narrow the branch before anyone opens walls or digs.

No meter? Private well properties

Some properties in and around Kingman are not on a metered public supply. If your water comes from a private well, storage tank or hauled water, this check does not apply in the same way. Signs such as a pump that cycles when nothing is running, or a pressure tank that loses pressure overnight, need a different approach. See private well and pressure tank leak signs.

When to contact your water provider vs a leak professional

Situation Who to contact first
Water bubbling from the street, sidewalk or near the meter box Your water provider
Meter box locked, damaged or unreadable Your water provider
You think the meter is reading wrong Your water provider
Meter moves with everything off, and no visible water A leak investigation professional
Meter moves only with the house valve open A leak investigation professional, focused indoors
Water near electrical equipment or flooding Shut off safely—see what to do during an active water leak

Frequently asked questions

How long should I wait during a meter check?

About two hours with no water use is a common guideline. A spinning leak indicator can show flow within minutes.

My meter moved only a little. Is that still a leak?

Any movement with everything off means water is flowing. Small flows still add up on a bill over a month.

Can I open the meter box myself?

Many providers allow customers to read their own meter if the lid lifts freely, but rules differ, so check with yours. Do not break locks, use tools on the meter or turn utility valves.

Does a moving meter mean my slab is leaking?

No. It means water is flowing. Toilets, irrigation and appliances are more common explanations to rule out first.

The meter does not move, but my bill is high. Why?

The leak may be intermittent, or the bill change may be about usage patterns, billing periods or rates. See why your Kingman water bill may be high.

What if I cannot find my meter?

Your water bill or provider can usually tell you where it is and whether you are on a metered supply.

Need help narrowing it down?

If your meter is moving and you can’t find the cause, call Kingman Leakcrest at (928) 437-2800. We’ll ask what you observed and explain which next step fits your property. You can also start from the Kingman leak detection overview.

Call (928) 437-2800

Still seeing unexplained movement?

A short call can help sort out whether it’s a fixture, a buried line or something else worth a closer look.

Call (928) 437-2800