Water Meters

Whether you’re curious about your consumption, doing maintenance, or suspect that you may have a water leak, getting to understand your water meter is simple!

The City of Beaumont has a few types of Neptune water meters as seen below.

Meter questions

To maximize the life of the water meter’s internal battery, the LCD display on the Neptune meter remains off until activated with a light.

Using a flashlight or the light on your cell phone, shine the light over the “light sensor” hole on the face of the meter for a few seconds. Please note that the light must be very bright to work.

Once activated, the LCD display will alternate every six seconds from displaying the current meter reading to the current flow rate.

  1. Check the flow indicator by closely watching it for two minutes.
  2. Determine the following conditions:
    • If the arrow is flashing, the water is running very slowly.
    • If the arrow is continuously ON, water is running.
    • If the arrow does not flash, the water is not running.

  1. Shut off the valve downstream of your meter.
  2. Turn on a tap to ensure the water is off.
  3. The flow indicator should be OFF.

Water Meter Request permit

Find Water Meter Request permit information…

Homeowner obligations

Access to water is a shared responsibility. We need to work together to ensure efficient and effective water service. Homeowners are responsible for their water use, as well as water pipe maintenance and breaks on their property.

You are responsible for the maintenance and repair of most water fixtures on your property, including:

  • Pipes connected to the water meter
  • Toilet
  • Hose bib
  • Stop and waste valve
  • Water line
  • Hot water tank
  • Air conditioner
  • Humidifier
  • Irrigation system

The City of Beaumont is responsible for the pipes leading up to the property line and the water meter.

If you experience water damage or flooding:

  • Contact your personal insurance company to initiate a claim
  • Remove water immediately to minimize damage
  • Dry out all building materials and personal belongings to prevent mold from growing

The City repairs faulty mains or hydrants but not the water lines on private property.

You can shut off your water supply in your home by using the gate or ball valve on the water line leading to your water meter. If this valve is not operational you will need to contact the City of Beaumont to shut off the water at the property line.

Slow or low-flow water draw sources, such as humidifiers and ice makers, may also cause noisy pipes. Review your owner’s manual to see if the valves should be adjusted or contact a plumber.

A slow water leak in your toilet or taps can cause noisy pipes, therefore check the fill valve and float in your toilet tank:

  • The float may need to be adjusted
  • The flapper valve may not be closing properly and needs to be replaced

Any hardware store will carry replacement parts.

Fire hydrants on private property are the responsibility of the property owner. They should be professionally inspected annually to ensure they are working correctly.

The City will often send a person to investigate whether the soil slumping is caused by a water system deficiency.

Soil temperatures and settling may cause CC valves to not be flush with the ground. Contact the City if you wish to have a cc valve raised or lowered.

The water meter is owned by the City of Beaumont. If you feel the meter is inaccurate even after having it tested, you can request a meter replacement at your cost.

Water meter tests

There is a $300 fee per water meter test. The resident will be charged the fee if the meter is within acceptable range. If the meter is out of acceptable range, the City will cover the cost of the test.

You may also request a data log of your meter, for a fee of $150 per data log, which will show the water consumption for the past 90 days.

It is a good idea to shut off the valve on the line coming into your meter while you are away for extended periods of time. This will avoid unnecessary damage to your property and high-water bills, in case of a leak.

Leaks

Leaking toilets, faucets, hose bibs, irrigation systems and appliances can waste a lot of water. It is recommended to routinely check your home for the following leaks:

  • Running toilet: Toilets are a common source of water leaks. Sometimes you can hear a trickle or it may be silent and easily overlooked. A small leak could result in 100 L/day of wasted water up to a large leak that could result in 33,600 L/day of waste water.
    • Chain getting stuck under the flapper
    • A broken, worn or warped flapper
    • Flapper sticks in the open position
    • Water level in the tank is set too high, causing water to flow into the overflow tube
  • Drips: Leaky faucets, hose bibs and water-using appliances can result in a large amount of water wasted. Dripping water or calcium staining are signs of leaks.
    • If the dial or flow indicator on the water meter is moving, and you are not using any water at the time, you have a leak somewhere inside your home.
  • Irrigation systems: Leaking irrigation systems may go unseen for a considerable amount of time.
    • Ensure you shut off the valve to your system during the winter
    • Winterize the system so that pipes do not freeze and crack during the winter months.
  • Leaky pipes: If you have a leaky water pipe, you may notice flooding or see water coming into your home and you may have water pooling or wet spots outside.

Homeowners are responsible for locating and repairing leaks on their property or within their home.

  • Check all faucets for possible leaks.
  • Check all toilets and toilet valves. Put food colouring in the toilet tank as it is filling and leave it for 15-20 minutes, if coloured water is visible in the toilet bowl, there is a leak.
  • Check all appliances that use water.
  • Check the yard and surrounding grounds for wet spots.
  • Shut off the valve on the downstream side of the meter, the flow should stop, which indicates that the meter is working properly.

If a continuous leak is repaired:

  • Use no water for at least 15 minutes.
  • Check the leak indicator.

If the leak has been correctly repaired, the leak indicator changes from On Continuously to Flashing.

If an intermittent leak is repaired:

  • Check the leak icon after at least 24 hours.

If the leak has been correctly repaired, the leak icon changes from Flashing to OFF.

After completing all the checks above and you still feel there is an issue with your water meter:

  1. You can request to have the meter tested for a $300 fee per test.
    If meter is within acceptable range the resident will be charged the fee.
    If meter is out of acceptable range the City will cover the cost of the test.
  2. Request a Data Log of your meter (this will show the water consumption for the past 90 days, but will not locate leaks) for a fee $150 per data log. If the leak persists, you may need to contact a plumber to assist in locating the leak. The City of Beaumont cannot locate leaks within the home or business.