|
How
to Read the Meter | High
Water Use | How
to Reduce Your Bill
The
District has converted all residential water meters from a
manual
reading process to an automated method. The reading
is done via a
radio signal to a hand
held receiver. This technology provides rapid,
accurate
meter reading on a year-round
basis.
Radio
reading has allowed early leak detection and water
conservation.
Absentee
owners
can be alerted to possible leaks that require repair and
reduce
costly water bills.
HOW
TO READ YOUR METER Go out to your meter box.
Below
the
insulation and beneath the meter face, you
will see a
glass dial
similar to a clock face. There will be an
odometer style dial and a
clock hand. Write down the positions of both. There
will also be
a
small red triangle or a red asterisk on the dial face. If the triangle
or
asterisk
is moving
when you are not
knowingly using water, this is your first indication that you
may have a
leak.
After
reading the meter, leave your water off for at least half an
hour.
Take
a second reading. If you used no water, the two readings
should be
the
same. If the reading has changed or the sweep hand or
triangle has
moved,
water is running somewhere on the property.
Go
to Top
HIGH
WATER CONSUMPTION? If your
water consumption fee seems high,
you may have a leak or use more water in the summer months for outside
irrigation. A dripping faucet or other unsuspected leak
may also be
the cause. A 1/32" leak can waste as much as 170
gallons in 24 hours and
add over $85.00 to your annual bill. If you suspect you
might have a leak,
here are some ways to check your system:
 Put
a few drops of food coloring into the tank. If color shows
up
in the bowl within ten minutes, the valve or support assembly
may
need to be replaced.
See if the ball
valve drops squarely into the drain opening. If not,
clean it out or replace the ball valve if it is worn.
Check
the flush handle to see if it is stuck in the flush position.
Carefully
bend the float arm to lower the water level to at least
one-half inch below the top of the overflow tube.
Replace the overflow
tube if it has holes below the water line.
-
Check
for dripping faucets
Replace
worn gaskets and washers.
Replace
washerless faucets.
Tighten
water line connections and valves.
-
Water
Heater
Replace
pressure and temperature valve, if leaking.
Tighten the drain
valve.
Look for drips or
wet areas in the crawl space
Place a screwdriver
on the service line and listen. No noise means
water is not running or is too far away to detect. Make
sure
you check in several locations. This is not always
accurate.
Disconnect hoses from
outside faucets to protect against freeze
damage.
Winterize your
sprinkler system according to the system's instructions
Check for any damage
to sprinkler heads.
Check automatic timer
systems. (This is one of the biggest culprits of
high use and damage in the winter.)
Make sure that all
drain plugs are closed.
every effort to find it, you may contact our office (530)
583-4692
during normal business hours Mon-Fri 8:00 to 5:00.
Contact the District
for a list of professional leak detection companies. The District cannot do
any repairs to your
property. However, if the leak is causing damage,
you should contact a
plumber immediately. The District can shut off
water in an
emergency. Any repairs beyond the meter are the
owner's
responsibility.
Go to Top
HOW
TO REDUCE THE BILL
The simple
reduction of use will reduce
your bills. The District no longer
has
a leak rate available. The Water Rate/Conservation Committee
felt
that
the leak rate was not good for the District and did not send the
right
signals
for conservation.
More
information will be forthcoming on conservation
issues
on
our web
site. Please watch for it.
Go to Top
|
