The Meter

Whilst the meter is on your property or within your premises it remains the property of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water and it is your responsibility to provide a safe environment and allow access to Welsh Water employees and/or their representatives for the purpose of reading and maintaining the meter.

Where to find your meter

You will normally find your meter in a boundary box to the front of the property, at the boundary or in the pavement. In some cases, particularly in rural areas, the meter may be some distance from your property. If it is safe to do so you can access the external meter by, carefully lifting the lid of the boundary box, removing the polystyrene frost cover (if necessary) and pulling up the inner meter lid, if fitted, to view the meter face. The meter will be sitting inside a chamber and is connected to your water supply pipe at the bottom of this chamber. Don’t worry if you see some water in the chamber when you read the meter, as this is likely to be ground water. However, if you do find water in the chamber after a prolonged dry spell, and your water usage is high, it may be the sign of a leak and should be checked.

In some cases the meter is inside the property at the main internal stop tap (e.g. in the kitchen or downstairs toilet). If this is the case and the property is likely to be empty for long periods of time, because you work away from home or because it’s a holiday home, please provide a contact address or telephone number so we can gain access to the meter.

Each water meter has its own unique serial number, which is also shown on your bill. Please ensure you have located the correct meter.

Taking a meter reading

Locate the correct meter by checking the meter serial number. Look at the meter face (some may be under a hinged cover) and read the white on black or black on white numbers as they record the cubic metres of water used. Only these numbers are used to bill you.

When you have finished reading an external meter, replace the polystyrene frost sponge if there was one covering the meter, carefully close the lid of the boundary box and make sure it is level with the ground.

If you are unable to read your meter because of dirt that cannot be cleared or condensation, or if you are worried that your meter is broken, please contact us and we will repair or replace it free of charge. If you have an internal meter then it is your responsibility to protect it against damage and frost.