How much water you use at your home or business is measured by the water meter. The unit of measure for water in Canada is the cubic metre (M3). There are 1000 litres (or 220 gallons) in a cubic metre. To convert the average daily usages on your water bill to litres, multiply it by 1000. If you use an average of .70 cubic metres per day then you are using an average of 700 litres (or 154 gallons) of water per day.
With the increasing cost of water and wastewater, it is a good idea for each customer to monitor water consumption as measured by the meter as a way to keep consumption, and therefore, your bill as low as possible. The consumption charge comprises the largest part of water and wastewater charges and it is based on the amount of water used, so the lower your usage the lower your bill.
Weekly monitoring of your water consumption will also identify leakage at an early stage when it can be repaired quickly, thus reducing the amount of wastage, and therefore, the water bill. First, locate your water meter. Most meters are located in the basement or close to where the water service enters the building. The meter records consumption in M3 on a numbered register on the top of the meter. Our meters read straight across like the odometer on a car. If your meter has been installed since 1996, it should have a small red disc which will rotate to indicate water flow.You can calculate your water usage or check for leaks by reading the meter and subtracting the previous reading from the current reading. For example, if your meter reads 3761.6 today and 3666.2 seven days ago, you have used 5.4 M3, or 5400 litres (3671.6-3666.2) during the week. Your average daily use would be .77 M3 or 771 litres per day, which would be well within our average range. In order to check for leaks, turn off all fixtures so no water is being used anywhere in the house. Then check the position of the meter dial, wait for about 30 minutes, and then recheck the meter. If it hasn’t moved you have a relatively water tight home. If it has, you may have a leak and you should start checking toilets, faucets, hose connections, etc. Toilets are the most common source of water leakage. If you have any questions about reading your meter, please call our customer service line at (780) 354-2201 Monday thru Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.
Leak Detection
The transmitter reports detection of a possible leak when a one-hour (RTR®) or two-hour (ADE®) window of no usage is not found within a 24-hour time period. The system automatically resets as soon as an appropriate window of no usage is found.