Water-wise tip: Use water meter to check for leaks

This is part of a weekly feature in Home & Garden, highlighting ways residents can save water.

▪  Learn how to read your water meter.

When it comes to saving water, your meter can be your friend. Think of the meter as a conservation tool, keeping track of your daily use. Most meters measure water in cubic feet; 1 cubic foot equals 7.48 gallons, and 100 cubic feet equals 748 gallons. In addition, your meter can alert you to leaks that may be wasting hundreds of gallons a day or more. To find out if there’s a potential leak, turn off all the faucets in the home and garden. Make sure clothes and dish washers are off, too. Most meters contain a little blue or red triangle that indicates flow. If the flow triangle is still moving when everything is off, there’s likely a leak.

For more tips, visit www.bewatersmart.info/.

Debbie Arrington

This story was originally published November 28, 2014 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Water-wise tip: Use water meter to check for leaks."