Water Meters

Learn about Town of East Gwillimbury's (EG) water meters, by reading the frequently asked questions below:

Finance

When am I billed for water consumption in my home?

Your water meter is read approximately every 30 days. The bill is based on how much water was used since the last reading.

If you have questions about your water bill, or water rates visit

Understanding your Water and Sewer Bills - The Town of East Gwillimbury

How does the water meter work?

The meter installed in your home is a positive displacement water meter to ensure accurate reading of water usage. The meter works by filling a small chamber on the inside of the meter every time water passes through, and the cycle of filling and emptying is translated into a usage reading.

Think of counting the number of times a cup fills up and empties.

What is the accuracy of my water meter?

The installed water meters are highly accurate and are tested to ensure compliance with the American Water Works Associations (AWWA) Standard C700.

AWWA C700 specifies a residential meter must measure within ±1.5% accuracy during normal flows, and no worse that ±3% at low flows.

Over time, due to mechanical wear and buildup, older meters can slow down and lead to under registration of water usage.

I just got a new meter – why did my bill go up?

Water meters slow down over time which can under report usage. Therefore, a new meter may result in a higher bill simply because it is more accurate.

Why did my bill increase this month?

There are several reasons why your water bill may be higher than usual. Some of the most common factors are:

Seasonal Usage Changes – outdoor watering, irrigation systems, filling swimming pools or ice rinks, car washing
Higher household activity – increased guests, laundry, dishwashing, or home vacations
Possible leak – leaks can happen both indoors and outdoors, see the “Checking for Leaks” section below for more information

Occasionally, billing cycles may be slightly longer than 30 days due to holidays and scheduling. A longer billing cycle can result in a higher bill simply by having more days included.

What should I do if I think my meter is wrong?

First, consider your water usage and use the tips in our “Get Familiar with your Water Meter” section to discover potential unknown water usage

If you would like to get more details on your water consumption, The Town can provide you with hourly readings of your water meter to show when water is flowing. This service can be requested through customer service

The Town’s Water Works By-law #2015-104 outlines the additional steps that may be taken if a resident would like to dispute the meter’s accuracy. This involves testing of the water meter and resolution based on the results. Please note there is a fee for this.

I received a High Water Consumption notice

If your monthly meter reading shows water usage significantly higher than your typical consumption, the Town may leave a high consumption notice at your door. This is a courtesy notification and is intended to help you determine potential causes of higher water use – was it from a known source such a swimming pool being filled, or could there be a leak somewhere?

The notice will provide information such as:

How many days of consumption were flagged
- An indicator to show if the high consumption has occurred for a short, or long period of time
Flags if there was continuous or intermittent usage detected
- The type of flagged usage that was detected and helps indicate what the cause may be

See the section below for how more details on how to investigate

Get familiar with your home water meters!

How do I read my water meter?

Follow these steps:

1. Locate your water meter and lift the lid on top

2. Shine a bright light at the solar panel (near the top) to activate the display

water meter showing location of solar panel, and meter display.

3. Read the usage number. This number shows the total volume of water passed through the meter since installation. On a newer meter the decimal place is in between the 5th and 6th digit, and the reading is in cubic meters (m3)

4. Find the flow icon. Above the usage reading there is an arrow displayed if water is flowing. When the right-side arrow is visible there is water currently flowing in the home. If the arrow is flashing, water is running very slowly

5. Find the faucet icon. There is a space for a small faucet (“tap”) icon above the reading on the left-hand side

Not Faucet Visible: No leak detected
Flashing Faucet: Intermittent water usage has been detected. This means water flowing over 50 of the 96 15-minute intervals over the past 24 hours

NOTE: a flashing icon may take up to 24 hours to clear after intermittent usage has stopped

Solid faucet icon: Continuous water usage has been detected. This means water has continuously flowed through the meter for all 96 15-minute intervals over the past 24 hours

NOTE: If you make a repair, or turn off a water-using appliance, please do not use water and wait for at least 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, the indicator should change to flashing and disappear after 24 hours

Checking for Leaks

What could be causing a leak?

There are many things that could cause a water leak on your property. The leak indicator on your water meter can help determine potential causes. See above on how to read your meter.

Remember: intermittent = water usually flowing, continuous = water always flowing

Table showing possible causes of leaks within a home.

Keep your ears open for the sound of running water, and look for any wet spots on the floor, walls, or in the yard!

How can I check for leaks at home?

Perform a leak test at home using the steps below:

Turn off all water using appliances inside and outside the home

Examples: dishwashes, ice makers, water softeners, laundry machine, irrigation system

Write down the reading on your water meter
Wait at least an hour with no water use and check the reading again. If the number increased, water was used.

Check your toilet with a Dye Test