| How to read your meter WATER METER
Knowing how to read your water meter will help you keep an eye on your conservation efforts and keep your water bill lower. Monitor your water usage by reading your meter regularly. You'll find your meter is located in a concrete box near the street curb or in the alley by your residence.  There are two types of meters: the straight meter and the round meter.Straight Meter
To read the straight meter, look at the figures shown above the word "cubic feet." The example reads 080632. The sweep hand indicates that the meter is functioning. | | | | Round Meter To read this meter, begin with the smallest numbered dial and read each dial in ascending order (counter clockwise), If the hand is between numbers, use the lower number. The example reads 21437. The "one foot"dial indicates that the meter is functioning. |
* To Check Your Usage: Write down your reading. In a week or so, check again and subtract this reading from the previous recording to determine your consumption during this period. Then divide your consumption by 100 to determine the number of units you've used. (Remember: 1 water unit = 100 cubic feet = 748 gallons of water).
We read meters on different days of the month. To compare your consumption, be sure your readings are taken on the same days as those noted on your utility bill. |
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GAS METER
Your gas meter is an accurate automatic measuring instrument. It keeps track of how much gas flows through it by counting the filling and emptying of four compartments inside its metal case. Since each compartment fills with just the same amount of gas every time, the measuring is very accurate and because one compartment is emptied as another is being filled, the flow of gas to your range or heater is smooth and uninterrupted. Round Meter
Here’s how to read your meter. Read the large dials only. (The small dials at the top are for test purposes.) On each dial, a hand points between two numbers. The meter is read from right to left. |  | | |  | CUBIC FEET |
 1,000 THOUSAND | |  100 THOUSAND | |  10 THOUSAND | |  1 THOUSAND | Take the number that the first pointer has just passed | | Then the number that the second pointer has just passed | | And the number that the third pointer has just passed | | But take the number the last pointer is nearest. | In this example: 4 | | In this example: 6 | | In this example: 4 | | In this example: 5 | | | | | | | |
Finally, add two zeros... (4645 + "00") TOTAL: 464500 cubic feet of gas |
Straight Meter
To read a straight meter, is just like reading the odometer in your car. The meter is read from left to right. How much Gas do you use?
One reading does not tell you how much gas you used. Put your first reading on line 1 below, with the date and time Take another reading several days later, and enter it on line 2 Subtract reading 1 from reading 2: this tells you the number of hundred cubic feet (CCF) of gas used during the time between the readings
| Meter Reading | Date | Time | CCF of gas used since last reading | | 1 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | | 3 | | | | |
Natural gas is metered in hundred cubic feet- CCF and is sold to our customers in therms. The CCF registered by the meter are multiplied by the BTU rating of the gas to determine the number of therms billed. An example: 45 CCF x 1.034 (Btu conversion factor) equals 47 therms The BTU rating will be adjusted monthly based on the average heat value of the gas obtained during the previous month | | BTU = British thermal unit - one therm equals 100,000 BTUs |
Utility Services
Long Beach City Hall - Plaza Level
333 West Ocean Boulevard, Long Beach CA 90802
(562) 570-5700
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