You can use the meter to work out:

• how much water you are using now
• check whether there is a leak on your property

If you lift the lid of the meter box, you'll see the three main parts: A   the meter, which measures water use B   the backflow manifold, which prevents (possibly polluted) water flowing back into the supply system C  the stop cock which controls the water supply to the house.

How to read your water meter.

1. The BLACK numbers on the white background on your water meter, count in cubic meters.  This is the reading that your water invoice wll be based on.
2. The WHITE numbers on the red background on your water meter count in hundreds and tens of litres.  Use these numbers to track daily use.
3. The small dial on the meter face counts in litres.
4. The larger one counts in tenths of a lire.  The meter in the picture is reading 297.9 litres (because it is new, it has not yet reached a full cubic meter, so the balck numbers read "00000").
5. The litte disc in the middle of your water meter spins around whenever water is flowing through the meter.  It is very useful for detecting leaks - if it is spinning when all the taps are off and the cisters are full, you may have a leak.
   
   To calculate your water consumption use the form on the 'your water use' page.