Tips
How to Shut Off the Water 
If you need to shut off your water or want to check for a leak in your system, you will find that most water shut-off valves are located where the main water line enters the home. Most are located in the basement and are clearly marked. Once you know where the valve it, be sure that everyone, of a responsible age, in the home is aware of its location and how to shut off the water. To protect the service line, sometimes there is a water shut-off valve located on the homeowner's side of the water meter, outside of the District's meter box. While this is usually not necessary, please know that a water meter located inside the home does not protect the line from the meter to the house. That is the property owner's responsibility. If you plan to have a shut off valve installed, please notify the District's Customer Service staff so they can schedule an inspection to make certain it is installed according to District standards. Please remember that only authorized District personnel may turn the District's water meter off and/or on. If you have any questions about customer shut off valves, please do not hesitate to contact the District at 303-979-7286.
How To Read Your Water Meter
What is a Water Meter? The water meter is actually owned and maintained by Roxborough Water and Sanitation District (RWSD). It is a highly accurate and dependable water measuring device that registers all the water used in your home.
What does the Meter Assembly Consist of? The meter assembly consists of three components. First, is the brass body in which the water passes through. Second, is the reader, or odometer, which is the black plastic cap that fits securely on the brass body and registers the read. Third is the radio frequency unit, the gray box, which sends an electronic signal to the mobile unit to record the read.
Where is the Water Meter Located? On new homes the water meter is placed in the basement, while some of the older homes may have them located outside in a meter pit or in a crawl space.
How does the Meter Work? A meter records by a sweeping method: the amount of water that passes through is measured in gallons. Basically, the sweep hand is one revolution on the meter for every ten gallons of water. Thus it works just like recording of mileage on an auto odometer.
How do I Read the Water Meter? Just like reading the odometer on your car, you read a water meter from left to right. There are seven digits and you will want to include them all, even the zeros to the left. Going from left to right, the first digit is the millions of gallons, the second digit is hundreds of thousands of gallons, the third digit is tens of thousands of digits, the fourth digit is thousands of gallons, the fifth digit is hundreds of gallons, the sixth digit is tens of gallons and the final far right digit never moves. The single gallons are indicated by the red sweep hand.
How often does the Meter Get Read? The meter reader will drive by your home and through remote radio frequency record your water usage on a monthly basis. Your water bill is based on a monthly period.
How do I Record my Meter Reading? Just like your billing, you should look at your water usage over a monthly period. To start, you might want to record your water usage on a weekly basis. No matter what time frame you chose, write down the entire seven digits reading left to right and the date you read the water meter. After you take a second reading, subtract the first reading from the second reading. This will give you the total water usage to the nearest ten gallons over the period between the readings.
What do you recommend I use to Chart my Meter Readings? The District will provide a worksheet that is broken down into one month periods. The easy-to-use worksheet is designed to last throughout a calendar year. Contact the District office if you would like a meter reading worksheet.
What do you mean by "CREEPING" Water Meter? When a water meter is said to be "creeping" it is where the leak indicator dial on your water meter continues to move constantly when there is no water being used in the home - all water fixtures are off. So-called "creeping" is often indicative of a leak or drip somewhere in your home's water system. Remember, it is your responsibility to find and repair all leaks and drips as soon as possible.
What about Meter Maintenance? As the water meters are the property of RWSD, their maintenance and replacement are the responsibility of the District. Contact the District office if you feel that your meter is not working properly.
Do I have to do any Maintenance on the Water Meter? While the maintenance of the water meter is performed by RWSD, it is your responsibility to keep the meter Radio Frequency box free of cover and accessible. As the water meter is read by remote, please do not restrict its frequency by covering the meter with debris or other objects. Our field personnel appreciate your cooperation.
How do I know if I need a New Water Meter? Should your meter need to be replaced, you will find a tag hanging on your door notifying you that the District needs to schedule an appointment for access or in the case of an outside meter your water will be turned off briefly while your meter is changed. Note, there is no charge for a replacement meter.