Questionable water meter

[noway2]

As I‘ve mentioned, house has been under renovation since August. There is municipal water, but it’s currently not hooked to the house. Instead the meter is connected to a piece of PEX with a valve on the end thst is connected to a garden hose. The water company is saying that we used roughly 350 gallons (70 five gallon buckets - not even the painters would use that much) per month the last few months, including when there was a long break in the activity. I don’t see how anywhere near that much water was used. The guy from the water dept. says that if the meter were malfunctioning that it would only error in my favor because the water flow turns a wheel that is picked up by a magnet which is how it reads. He then tried to say that most leaks are a toilet ... and I again reminded him that it’s not connected to the house. He looked at the meter and said the leak detector dial was not moving, so there wasn't any flow.

I took a picture of the meter today and will do so again on Monday so I will know if there is any usage over the weekend.

I am still suspicious of the meter reading high.

Anyone have any insight or suggestions on how to prove or argue this with them?

 

[Button Pusher]

Hidden game camera. Folks have taken meters and the reinstalled them after using it at their location.

 

[hp468]

Document the meter reading would be the only thing I’d know to do. Is this a smart meter or one that has to be read every month?

Does the water co bill show exactly 350 gallons each month?

Do they have a minimum charge that equals 350 gal of water?

 

[rdinatal]

Anyone have any insight or suggestions on how to prove or argue this with them?

This is the .gov, right? I've got nothing...

 

[Jp8819]

Any brick work durning the reno i have seen contractors just leaving the hose flowing when making mud. It doesnt take very long maybe half day at most to run 350 gallons.

 

[noway2]

Document the meter reading would be the only thing I’d know to do. Is this a smart meter or one that has to be read every month?

Does the water co bill show exactly 350 gallons each month?

Do they have a minimum charge that equals 350 gal of water?

Dumb meter that has to be read. I asked the guy when he came out to read it and he said 350 gallons. They do have a minimum charge, and this would be below it. The water bills have always been high, which is part of my cause for concern.

Any brick work durning the reno i have seen contractors just leaving the hose flowing when making mud. It doesnt take very long maybe half day at most to run 350 gallons.

Not recently, there was back in August. We ”borrowed” the neighbors water for that as mine was shut off due to a leak in the yard.

Hidden game camera. Folks have taken meters and the reinstalled them after using it at their location.

Thought about that, actually, at least to see if anyone is using it.

 

[Grits]

Try a lazy town employee who just pops in 350 every month instead of reading the meter. There has to be a beginning amount and ending amount on the meter. This should be able to verify by reading the meter yourself. The start and ending number should be listed on your water bill.

The town I live in put in a new water main in the street. They royaly screwed up my water service with mud and dirt in the water line into the house. The meter stopped recording water usage but had flow. I had the city come out and change the meter. I had to clean the faucets, ballcock it the toilet, and sediment traps at the washing machine because of all the dirt. I was not a happy camper with the city.

 

[noway2]

I had the city come out and change the meter. I had to clean the faucets, ballcock it the toilet, and sediment traps at the washing machine because of all the dirt. I was not a happy camper with the city.

They replaced the tap into the meter a few months ago (leaking up through the road pavement. Thankfully they asked if they could turn on an outside hose bib to flush it and said they’d back the usage off my bill (I’ll assume they did).

I w thinking I might could try to audit it by filling a known container, e.g. gallon jug.

Auditing the start and end reading is another good idea.

 

[AverageDad]

It really doesn't take long to use 350 gallons, I can fill my 525 gallon water tank in less than an hour using a water hose.

As mentioned above, its likely a lazy meter reader