How to Check Your Water Meter for a Leak
Two simple tests you can run yourself, and what the result does and doesn't tell you about an underground leak.
What This Test Tells You
A water meter records all water passing through it, whether a faucet is running or a buried pipe is leaking. If the meter reads higher when no one used water, water is escaping somewhere on your side. Columbus Water Works notes that leaks are often underground or under the foundation.
What This Test Tells You
A water meter records all water passing through it, whether a faucet is running or a buried pipe is leaking. If the meter reads higher when no one used water, water is escaping somewhere on your side. Columbus Water Works notes that leaks are often underground or under the foundation.
Find the Meter Box
Meters usually sit in a box in the ground, often near the street or the property line. Lift the lid carefully, since dirt, insects and debris can collect inside. Many meters have a leak indicator, a small dial that turns when water is flowing. Some digital models show a flow icon instead. These steps are the same for a home anywhere in Columbus.
Method One: Overnight, the CWW Method
Columbus Water Works describes this test. Read your meter before you go to bed. Read it again the next morning before any water is used. If the second reading is higher, you may have a leak.
Method Two: The 2-Hour Check
The infographic below shows a shorter version. Make sure no water is being used inside or outside the house, record the reading and leak indicator, wait two hours and check again. This is the graphic's method, not something CWW specifically recommends.
Before you start, close taps, and check that the washing machine, dishwasher, ice maker and any irrigation are not running.
- Record the meter reading and the leak indicator position
- Use no water for the whole waiting period
- Recheck the reading and the indicator
- Note whether either one changed
What to Do With the Result
If the reading did not change, a leak is unlikely. If it went up, water is escaping. To narrow it down, shut off the house's main valve if you have an accessible one and test again. If the meter still moves, the leak is likely on the buried line.
A leak between the meter box and the street is CWW's to repair, so report that through CWW. A leak on your side is yours to find and fix. See high water bill in Columbus and underground leak detection for next steps.
Helpful Resources
Learn more about underground water lines in Columbus and make informed decisions about your project.
- High Water Bill in Columbus? Check for a Leak FirstA meter test, a look at where the leak could be, and how Columbus Water Works handles leak-related bill adjustments.
- Signs of an Underground Water Line LeakThe yard, bill, pressure, and meter clues that point to a buried water line leak, and how to weigh them together.
- Who's Responsible for the Water Line From Meter to House?How Columbus Water Works divides the public and private service lateral, and what to do when a leak is on your side of the meter.
Checking Your Meter: FAQ
Common questions about the meter test.
Checking Your Meter: FAQ
Common questions about the meter test.
What is the overnight meter test?
Columbus Water Works suggests reading the meter before bed and again in the morning before using water. A higher second reading means you may have a leak.
Can I use the 2-hour test instead?
The infographic on this page uses a 2-hour wait with no water used. Overnight is CWW's description, so either can serve as a check.
Where is my water meter?
Usually in a box in the ground near the street or property line. Lift the lid with care.
What is the leak indicator?
A small dial or icon on many meters that moves when water flows. If it moves while everything is off, water is escaping.
Does a moving meter mean the underground line is leaking?
Not by itself. It shows water escaping on your side, which could be indoor plumbing or the buried line. Shut off the house and retest to narrow it down.
Who fixes the leak if the test is positive?
A leak between the meter box and the street is CWW's to repair. A leak on the customer side is the owner's.
Meter Test Point to an Underground Leak?
Tell us what you found and we'll help you get it located before any digging starts, with no obligation to move forward.
Meter Test Point to an Underground Leak?
Tell us what you found and we'll help you get it located before any digging starts, with no obligation to move forward.
Call (770) 676-1685