Understanding My Meters

Water

Cutoff Valve
This is a quarter turn valve. Turn the valve such that the top is in line with the meter and service line for ‘ON’. For ‘OFF’, turn the valve across the service line (with the locking ears aligned).

Leak Indicator
If you suspect you have a leak, make sure everything is turned off then watch this small triangle to determine if water is going through the meter. Even the smallest leak or flow of water through the meter will cause this indicator to turn, often when no movement is visible on the large dial.

Gas

Each natural gas meter assembly includes a valve so the gas supply can be shut off from the outside before it enters the meter. This shut off valve is located just above the ground and before the meter. The shut off valve has a raised indicator to show the position of the valve. If the raised portion of the valve is in-line with the pipe as shown, the valve is in the open position and gas will flow through the meter. To shut off the supply of gas, turn the valve so the indicator is perpendicular to the piping as shown. This will prevent any gas from passing through the meter.

In case of a leak inside the house, this shut off can be used to prevent any gas from entering the house. If a leak is suspected, call the Gas Service Department at 256-650-6342 Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00 am and 3:00 pm. Otherwise call Huntsville Utilities Dispatcher at 256-535-1200, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Residential Electric Meter

On a dial meter there are five dials, numbered 0 through 9, with the 0 at the top. You’ll notice that the numbers go around the face clockwise on some dials, but counterclockwise on every other dial.

• Read the dials from left to right.
• When the pointer lies between two numbers, record the smaller number.
• If the pointer is directly on a number, look at the dial to its immediate right.
• If that pointer has not passed zero, write down the smaller number.

Subtract the previous reading from the new reading, and you will know how many kilowatt hours you have used.

This meter is reading 81384.

Residential Water Meter

Your residential water meter has only one dial. The dial has a sweep hand which measures water usage in gallons. One complete revolution equals ten gallons of water used. The odometer-type register in the middle of the dial registers the hundreds of gallons used.

To read the meter, record the numbers from the odometer-type register. Since the odometer registers in hundreds of gallons you do not record the last two numbers. (The last number is a permanent number and the next dial registers tenths.) The remaining dials register the actual (in hundreds) water used.

Subtract the previous reading from the new reading and you will know how many hundreds of gallons of water you have used.

This meter is reading 3692.

Residential Gas Meter

On your residential gas meter there are five or six dials, depending upon the type of meter you have. Your gas consumption is determined by the top four dials. You will notice that the numbers will go clockwise on some dials, but counterclockwise on every other dial.

The dial readings should be read from left to right.

If the pointer is in between two numbers, record the smaller number.

Subtract the previous reading from the new reading, and you will know how many hundreds of cubic feet of natural gas you have used.

The meter is reading 8149.

Huntsville Utilities is owned by its customers. Handling electric power or attempting to hook up gas or water service by unauthorized personnel is dangerous for the individual and the community. Huntsville Utilities monitors usage throughout its system and makes every effort to ensure that Huntsville Utilities customers are charged for all services used and that those services are billed to the appropriate customer. Accounts found with evidence of unauthorized use of service will be billed for any consumption used, damages, and a tampering/reconnection fee.

If customers suspect that a person is attempting to use electricity, water or gas without paying for it, they should contact Huntsville Utilities at 256-535-1200 and report the location of the activity.

By doing so, customers are helping Huntsville Utilities achieve its goal of providing the best service with the lowest rates possible. Your calls are anonymous.