How do water meters work?

Reading your water meter can be daunting and confusing, the City of Johannesburg urges its customers to check when their meters will be read and when they will be billed.

Meter reading table

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• Those submitting their reading are encouraged to ensure it is one week before the billing date. The reading table can be accessed on the Johannesburg Water: https://www.johannesburgwater.co.za/meter-reading/meter-reading-schedule/
• Your meter will normally be placed on the wall close to your front boundary line, in a meter box.
• If you can’t find the meter, contact the Joburg Call Centre on 0860 562 874, for help. Meter location details are also available from Joburg Water on 011 688 1500.
• Each meter has its number, which will form part of the recording process.
• Once registered, you must link your account number to your profile by entering the pin printed on your most recent statement.
• Select the specific meter on your account and note the reading.
• City of Johannesburg checks the consumption against a consumer’s consumption history, and if the reading is particularly high or low, you will be required to give a reason for the difference.
• Your reading will be accepted but will be verified by the city’s meter readers.
• Your reading will stay in the system until the next billing cycle. The reading will then be used to bill you.
• You can enter multiple readings during the month, the city will keep a history of all of them, but only the latest one at the time of billing will be used.
• The best time to submit meter readings is about 15 days before the payment due date. If a customer’s due date is the 1st, the reading should be recorded on the 15th.

Reading your meter

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Below are the most common domestic meters. According to Johannesburg Water spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala, the dials on a conventional meter count the kilolitres passing through the meter.
“Different sizes have different flow capacities.”

Four Dialer meters: Smaller meters with lower flow capacities have four dials
Step 1 – Record the meter number e.g. 203378
Step 2 – Read the black digits from the meter clock e.g. 0631

Five Dialer meters: Bigger meters have five or six dials to cater for the amount of flow passing through them
Step 1 – Record the meter number e.g. 203378
Step 2 – Read the black digits from the meter clock e.g. 00631

Submitting your reading

While City Power does not offer an online meter reading facility, customers can submit their meter readings telephonically. Contact the call centre on 0860 562 874.

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