Sometimes WSSC Water meter readers can't get an exact reading from the remote touchpad that transmits data from an inside meter. In these instances, we must send customers an estimated bill. Learn more about how we estimate bills and what comes next in fixing the water meter or remote that isn't providing accurate readings anymore.
WSSC Water strives to bill customers in the most accurate way possible using actual meter reads.
For customers with inside meters, our meter readers will come to your house and collect your data using a device designed to communicate with your meter through a remote touchpad. This touchpad typically will be mounted on the exterior of your house, either in the front, side or back yard.
WSSC Water encourages customers to walk around your house and identify the location of all your utility meters and/or remotes, including your water meter's remote touchpad. Knowing where your meters and remotes are located will help you ensure that you keep them accessible to meter readers.
Learn more about identifying your meter and our meter readers
Sometimes our meter readers aren't able to get an exact read from an inside meter. This could be due to a few reasons, including lack of access to or lack of signal from your meter's remote touchpad.
In this instance, our meter reader will knock on your door and either ask permission to come into your home to take a photo of your inside meter or ask you to take a photo of your meter and show that to them.
Remember: WSSC Water meter readers wear bright yellow safety vests and/or clothing clearly marked with the words WSSC Water and our logo. You also can identify a WSSC Water meter reader by their WSSC Water logo-branded photo ID badge, which includes their photo, employee ID number and employee name. You can call Customer Service to confirm anyone as an employee with this information.
When our meter readers can't get an exact read from your meter and no one is home to assist with getting this data, they may leave a Meter Reading Request card. This card will let you know they weren't able to collect data from your inside meter and ask you to provide us with that meter reading.
You can provide us with a meter reading in one of the following ways:
If you do not provide us with this requested meter reading information, WSSC Water will have to issue you an estimated bill.
When WSSC Water cannot obtain an actual reading, we will base your estimated bill on your usage during the same billing period in the prior year. For example:
Your bill will clearly indicate in three separate locations if it's an estimated bill:
The following images have circles and numbers identifying these three described locations. Select either image to access a larger image.
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Please pay your estimated bill.
Once we receive the meter reading of your actual usage, we will apply any payments received to your account and toward the actual charges.
Per our Code of Regulations, WSSC Water can only provide estimated bills for up to six months in a row. If we need to estimate your bill more than two times in a row for customers who receive quarterly bills or more than six times in a row for a customer who receives monthly bills, we will need to investigate why our meter readers are unable to get an actual reading from your inside meter.
WSSC Water will send you a letter, explaining that we cannot get an actual reading from your outside remote and we cannot send you any more estimated bills. We will ask you in this letter to call Customer Service to schedule an appointment for a WSSC Water crew member to come to your home to diagnose and fix the issue with your meter.
This appointment may include replacing your outside remote touchpad and/or coming inside to where your inside meter is located. If a WSSC Water employee needs to come inside your home to diagnose or replace your inside meter, you may ask to see their employee identification badge before allowing them entry.
You can submit your own water meter reading to get a bill based on actual water usage.
Learn how to submit a meter reading
Once WSSC Water receives and validates the meter reading, we will cancel any estimated bills and rebill the account using the actual meter reading provided. Depending on the date the actual reading is received, the new bill may cover more than 90 days (or more than 30 days if you are billed monthly).