Regarding your local water company...

Seeing as how I have worked with the two main departments at CCUA that deal with customers, I feel the need to spread some knowledge that may or may not be obvious to the consumer. All the comments made, are in regards to the rate payers of Clay County, it can more than likely be applied to other utility companies as well.

In regards to your water meter. The more than typical water meter, that feeds 99% of the homes in Clay County, is a simple object. It does one thing, and one thing only, and that is measure the flow of water. There are two types of meter feeding the homes in CCUA's service area, the SRII and the PMM.

The SRII 

The SRII, operates a bit more complicated than the other, and to me, resembles a rotary engine. Water enters the meter pushes an off set, rotating disk, then exits. This in turn, rotates a shaft that turns the clock work that turns the readout on your meter.

This type of meter has I high rate of failure (ie: literally grinding to a stop) and is replaced with PMM's as they go bad.

PMM

The PMM is a simple meter. A free floating impeller, sits on a small metal pin with a sapphire bearing on its tip. Water enters the meter, spins the impeller, and leaves. There are no other moving parts to this meter. Because of its simplicity, and low failure rate, this type of meter is the current choice for CCUA.

The main reason I bring this subject up, is that so many times, the number one complaint of customers is that their bill is to high. They say that their bill is to high, yet they do not use any water. 

Obviously... the water meter is broken, and is registering to much usage.

After reading this, I would hope one could see the error in that statement. These meters CAN NOT run fast. They can however break. In the case of a SRII, when it stops, it stops. It will not register another gallon of water. With the PMM, if the impeller is damaged, it will operate inefficiently, not registering the total flow of water.

So please, read and understand. The water company, (at least, CCUA) does not rig your meter. You just use to much water.