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Water Meters
The water meter is a City owned device that measures the quantity of water used by a citizen or business. It is the device that meter readers read for every billing cycle to determine water usage. It is important to help the meter reader by maintaining the area around your meter.
Maintaining the Area around your Meter
Water meters are set in the ground usually near the street on either side of the driveway. Landscaping and fences should be maintained at an adequate distance from the meter’s protective box. As a reminder, Lake Oswego’s City Code Section LOC38.115 stipulates that reasonable meter access is a condition of obtaining water service. So, please trim any vegetation or move other obstructions (i.e., hedges, bushes, tarps, boats, RV’s, etc.) away from your water meter.
Call the City to have Service Turned On or Shut-Off
The meter box is City owned; we recommend that you call the City if you ever need your water turned on or off, whether by appointment or for an emergency. The water shut-off valve in the meter box is also a City owned valve and we recommend you call us to have this valve turned on/off. The cost of replacing this valve can be expensive and if broken by the property owner or their representative, the City will fix the valve and the property owner will be charged.
If you have an emergency or need to have your water turned off for leak repairs, please call Public Works Maintenance at (503) 635-0280.
If you have any other reason for needing your water turned off, please call Utility Billing at (503) 635-0265.
If you would like to have your water turned on, please call Utility Billing at (503) 635-0265.
Water Shut-Off Valve
The City recommends that you have a water shut-off valve located after the City's water meter. This will allow you turn the water on/off yourself for routine maintenance or during an emergency. Contact a private plumber if you would like to have a shut-off valve installed.
Water Meter Replacement
The City periodically and systematically replaces water meters. If your water meter was replaced, it could be due to a variety of reasons: age of the water meter, accuracy of the meter read, or any other maintenance that may require your water meter to be replaced with a new device.