What Customers Need to Know About Meters and Meter Readers

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With more than 500,000 meters in our service area, our meter readers have many miles to cover and homes to visit to obtain quarterly readings. Because our meters are not marked with the WSSC Water logo, many customers may not know what they look like or where they’re located. Knowing a few important facts will help alleviate confusion.

Inside Meters with Outside Remotes

Most residential inside meters have an outside remote touch pad that our meter readers scan using a handheld device. This outside remote is typically mounted on the exterior of your house, either in the front, side or back yard. 

In addition to encouraging our customers to know how to find your inside meter, we also encourage you to walk around the outside of your home, to find your remote and make sure its location is clear of materials that might prevent our meter readers from reaching it. 

Please also make sure you're not preventing meter readers from scanning your remote by blocking access to its location (whether by locked gates or pets that may react to unexpected guests entering their yard). 

If our meter readers can't access your remote, we may need to estimate your bill.

Learn more about estimated bills

Helpful Tip

You can identify the type of meter you have by locating your meter number on your quarterly bill, located in the "My Meter Reading Details" section, after the water usage box.

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Electronic Remote: Inside meter with meter number starting with letter D, E, P, S or W

Visual Remote: Inside meter with meter number starting with letter B, K or V

Outside Meters

Meters outside the home are often located in a covered meter pit in the front yard or on the front or side of the house. Sometimes, they can be in a driveway, sidewalk or street, or even share a meter pit located in front of a neighbor’s home or, in some cases, on another street.

We ask that customers never attempt to open the meter pit to read their outside meters. 

Instead, to assist our meter readers in getting a safe, quick reading, we ask that you please keep the area around your outside meter accessible and free from overgrown plants, grass, dirt, mulch or debris. Please do not paint over the remote mount either.

By having accessible, functioning meters, customers’ water and sewer bills will be more accurate, with fewer chances of estimated bills.

How to Spot a WSSC Water Meter Reader  

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Our meter readers wear bright yellow safety vests clearly marked with the words WSSC Water and our logo. They are required to prominently display their WSSC Water photo ID badges, featuring the reader’s picture, employee ID number and WSSC Water logo. 

You’ll spot them getting a reading from an in-ground meter in your yard or one located on the front or side of the home. Some meters must be read manually from inside the home. 

If you’re ever in doubt, request to see the meter reader’s ID badge for verification.