Accessing your water meter

For meter reading

We may not be able to read your meter if it's behind a locked gate or unsafe to enter the property. Hazards that may prevent our meter readers accessing the meter include:

• there is a dog
• overgrown garden or grass
• buried in concrete or dirt

Photo shown is an example of a water meter that is behind a gate and with an overgrown garden preventing access for meter reading purposes.

For meter maintenance and exchange

It is also important to provide clear access to and around your water meter to repair or replace it. This means the area around the meter should be clear of hazards such as concrete, dirt, shrubs or trees. To work safely, we require 20 -25cm clearance around your water meter (the image shown does not have clear access).

We exchange water meters for the following reasons:

• it is not registering
• is unreadable
• is damaged by a Hunter Water representative
• is blocked and/or noisy
• is part of our proactive water meter exchange program for water meters that are nearing the end of their useful life.

Photo shown is an example of a water meter that is buried in concrete and preventing clear access to exchange the water meter.

For meter reading

If we cannot gain access to your water meter to obtain a water reading, we may have to estimate your usage.

An estimate is based on the property's previous usage pattern. For future readings, an actual meter reading will try to be obtained again, and if successful the actual usage is taken and billed to ensure you have only been billed for what you have used. Additional fees and charges may be applied to your account if this happens on an ongoing basis.

For meter maintenance and exchange

When we undertake a meter exchange at your property and are unable to access your meter, a letter will be sent to the property owner requesting that you make the meter accessible.

Once you have made the meter accessible, please contact us on 1300 657 657 (Mon - Fri, 8am-5pm) and we will arrange for the meter to be exchanged by our team.

Any damage to your water service that has not been caused by us is the responsibility of the property owner, and you will need to seek assistance from a Licensed Plumber if structural damage has occurred (accidental or negligent ). For example, the meter has been dented, the water meter frame ran over, has been bent or hit by a mower or whipper snipper.

If the water meter only, shows physical signs of damage please contact us. and our staff will come and take a look and, if required, we will replace the water meter as soon as possible to maintain continued service. This may include but is not limited to:

• cloudy or smashed glass on the meter face
• water spurting or leaking from the glass
• you are unable to see/read the water meter dials and numbers on the meter face.