New Water Meters: how to turn water off?

Aeneas

Can anyone describe to me how to turn off my water using the new water meters? When I take off the lid I see the meter itself (with what looks like a button on top) and what looks like a pump with a blue handle beside it. Presumably this latter is for controlling the water supply to my house. Do I push it, pull it or turn it.....or maybe none of these?

D3PO

shouldnt have changed since before it was installed id imagine (havent had my meter installed so cant be sure) which means go to the stop cock at the mains and turn it off.

Aeneas

That's the problem. The stopcock has been replaced by the new meter, and presumably a new system for turning the water off. On my old stopcock I simply got out my spanner and turned the thing off. This new one has a pump like attachment beside the meter which I presume is how I turn off the water. But before fiddling with it I thought I'd check to see if anyone knows for sure.

D3PO

ok cool interested the know the answer now myself.

Incidently do you think you have a leak or just testing that a neighbours supply isnt loopig off your meter ?

Aeneas

Checking which of two adjacent stopcocks is mine. And taking a reading so I can get a handle on my consumption. Anyway I took my courage in my hands and turned the blue handle - it was a bit stiff - but a quarter turn turned my water off. Now I know which meter is mine. Whether my neighbour is on the same loop is another matter! to check that I could turn off my water for a while and see if he checks with me if there is a water problem in the area! The other useful thing I learned was that the meter was static until my taps were running so I guess I don't have a leak either.

a_ominous

This is a bit OT, but does anyone know what units the meters measure? Would like to measure my usage so I can sure I don't overpay. I know the usage is capped for houses that have meters, but I don't expect our usage will get anywhere near the expected usage. We have used 10 units in about 8 weeks.

Tokyo

a_ominous wrote: »

This is a bit OT, but does anyone know what units the meters measure? Would like to measure my usage so I can sure I don't overpay. I know the usage is capped for houses that have meters, but I don't expect our usage will get anywhere near the expected usage. We have used 10 units in about 8 weeks.

The meters measure in cubic metres (m³), or 1,000 litres of water.

Markcheese

Yup , twist blue handle ( haven't got a meter yet, but our meter box and stopcock were replaced a few years back ..)
Once you know which meter is yours, go turn off everything in the house , then recheck the meter after a while and see has the reading changed , you'll know if there's a leak anywhere on the system ...

foggy_lad

Two meters outside my place and one of them is full of water! if this is my meter is it leaking? there is also a problem with a fire hydrant a short distance away because the fire service were here a few weeks ago trying to get it working and went off very unhappy and the other day the council were out looking at it.

Our estate is a mess as far as utilities go with water meters and menhole covers and hydrants not where they should be and several actually on peoples property or on the boundaries.

Del2005

Markcheese wrote: »

Yup , twist blue handle ( haven't got a meter yet, but our meter box and stopcock were replaced a few years back ..)
Once you know which meter is yours, go turn off everything in the house , then recheck the meter after a while and see has the reading changed , you'll know if there's a leak anywhere on the system ...

Could you not just use the stop cock on the incoming line, usually under the kitchen sink, instead of turning everything off?

The_Conductor

Del2005 wrote: »

Could you not just use the stop cock on the incoming line, usually under the kitchen sink, instead of turning everything off?

Its not always easy to get at- and even if you have ready access to the valve at the kitchen sink (presuming its there) - if you have a leak between the meter and the kitchen sink (which is where 90% of leaks tend to occur)- the leak will continue to clock-up water usage at the meter.

Aeneas

As it happens I have two leads into my house (it's an old house) from the stopcock - only one of which is controlled by the tap in the kitchen. In any event I think it's a good idea to know how to isolate completely your water supply at the stopcock, for the reason mentioned by The Conductor. My new (metered) stopcock has a blue plastic handle. It was quite stiff. I had difficulty turning it at first and it bent a little as I tried to turn it, to the point where I was afraid it would snap. Which is why I did my original post.