The City of Bellevue owns and maintains the water meter on your property. Crews need immediate access to the meter at all times to read the meter, detect leaks, perform maintenance and repairs, and shut off the water in emergency situations.
Homeowners are required to maintain at least one foot of clearance on all sides of the meter box.
Smart Water Meters
Bellevue Utilities is replacing outdated, manually-read water meters with new, wireless-read technology. We are replacing water meters with "smart" ones at businesses and homes. The project will not result in any rate increases or surcharges. In fact, it might even help you reduce your water consumption and save money.
Smart Water Meter Portal
With Smart Water Meters, utility account holders will have access to water use information and management tools with the new customer portal, coming late 2022.
You can still check water use information at the meter, but the process is a bit different from the old manual-read meters. This infographic shows how to read the meter and understand the digital display. If you have questions about your meter read, contact SmartWater@bellevuewa.gov or 425-452-6973.
Meter Location
For most properties, the meter is located at the front of your property near the street or edge of the property, and is often marked with a white stripe on the curb
If you cannot locate your water meter, please contact 425-452-6973 or utilities@bellevuewa.gov for a location description. Crews may also mark your meter location with a blue flag.
The water meter on your property is owned and maintained by the City of Bellevue. Located in a small box in the ground near the street or the edge of the property, your water meter registers the water used in your home or building. If you cannot locate your water meter, please contact us at 425-452-6973 or utilities@bellevuewa.gov.
A city meter reader checks your water meter every other month. To assist the meter reader, please keep the meter box area free of garbage cans, boxes, piles of yard waste or parked vehicles. Please do not install fences or plant trees or shrubs that restrict access to the meter. Utilities employees appreciate your cooperation.
If the meter is not accessible
You will receive a notice to take specific actions, including:
- Trimming or removing vegetation around the water meter.
- Removing or relocating an obstruction that prevents meter access, such as a fence or landscape feature.
- Moving any vehicles parked on the meter.
If you are unable to correct this situation, the city may need to take further action to ensure we can deliver services. If you cannot take the required actions or need assistance, please contact Utilities at 425-452-7840.
To read your meter
- Use a small rod or large, flat-blade screwdriver to lift the lid off the meter box.
- Notice your meter number, located on the blue plastic or metal lid attached to the water meter itself. The meter number is stated on your water bill.
- Lift the meter lid and write down the numbers on the face of the water meter from left to right just as you would read the odometer on a car.
The meter measures cubic feet of water used, but your bill presents usage in hundreds of cubic feet or "ccf." You must drop the last two numbers from the number on your meter for it to match up with the usage indicated on your bill. The difference between your previous read and the one you have just taken is your water consumption since the last time your meter was read.
