Your Water Meter

Knowing Where Your Water Meter Is Can Be Helpful When Detecting A Leak

Locating Your Water Meter
Your water meter should be located in front of your house, inside a concrete or plastic meter box that is set flush to the ground.  Look for the meter behind the sidewalk at a side lot line near the street. If your home is on a corner lot, it could be either on the front or side street.  Sometimes, meter boxes are not easily visible due to landscaping and other obstructions. It's important to keep the box free of plants and roots that can obstruct or hide the meter or damage the service line.
If you need help finding it, call City of Tualatin at (503) 691-3095. We usually have the location information on our computer. If not, we will dispatch a Field Customer Service Representative to assist you in locating your meter.

Reading Your Water Meter
Reading your meter is like reading the odometer of a car:

Read the numbers from left to right that appear under the words "Cubic Feet."
The first digit on the right represents one cubic foot. The second from the right represents 10 cubic feet. The third from the right (usually a different color) represents 100 cubic feet, or one "CCF" which is the unit TVWD uses for billing purposes.

One revolution of the meter sweep-hand (the arm that goes around in a circle) equals one cubic foot or 7.48 gallons.
Note: City of Tualatin bills in 100 Cubic Feet, or 1 CCF. 1 CCF = 748 gallons.

Shutting Off Your Water 

Locating Your Shut Off Valve
If a water pipe broke in your home, are you able to find the shut off valve? Know where it's located before you have an emergency. There should be a valve near the house.

Look for your shut off valve in the following places:

•  In the crawl space or basement, where the water line enters the home.
•  In the garage where the water line enters the wall or ceiling, near the water heater or laundry hookup.
•  Outside near the foundation, often protected by a concrete ring or clay pipe.

Types of Shut Off Valves
Your water shut off valve may take many different forms. Here are a few of the most common types of shutoff valves.