Use the meter as a clue, not a leak-location map.
A no-use meter observation can help you notice water moving through a metered supply when you did not expect any demand. It does not identify a broken pipe by itself. Before interpreting a reading, confirm which property or units the meter serves and whether any automatic equipment could be using water.
Call about the leak877-702-1610Confirm the provider, address coverage, and charges before authorizing work.
Make access the first decision
Portland's official meter guide explains common meter arrangements. Do not lift a heavy or damaged lid, enter a vault, reach into standing water, or handle unfamiliar utility equipment. Ask the supplier for help when the meter is inaccessible. A useful observation is not worth an injury or damage to a service connection.
Write down the conditions with the reading
If the meter is safely readable, record the time and what water uses were known to be idle. Include irrigation, appliance cycles, and shared occupants where relevant. A movement indicator or changed reading can suggest flow that deserves investigation. It does not prove that every possible intentional use was excluded.
Keep units consistent. A display value and a billed consumption unit may not be interchangeable without interpretation. Ask the utility to explain the register rather than guessing how many gallons a small movement represents.
Do not turn uncertainty into a diagnosis
A still indicator during one short check cannot rule out an intermittent leak. A moving indicator cannot by itself distinguish a toilet, appliance, buried service, or another source. Closing a valve introduces further assumptions about what it isolates and whether it actually seals. Leave unfamiliar isolation tests to the responsible professional.
If the property shares water with another unit or system, coordinate first. Do not interrupt needed water or operate a shared valve to improve the experiment. Preserve the observation you can make safely and let the provider decide what further testing is suitable.
Bring the observation to the right conversation
For billing interpretation, contact the account's utility. For suspected private plumbing leakage, share the reading time, known uses, and visible symptoms with the provider. See public and private water questions before assigning ownership. To discuss a leak with an independent recipient, call 877-702-1610 and verify its identity and diagnostic scope.