Water Meter Reading

Water MeterRoselle is proud to provide high-quality, reliable water and sewer services to residents and businesses. The Village collects water meter readings at the start of each month and bills utility account holders for usage according to the readings that are collected.

Collecting Readings

Water meters are located inside homes and businesses in Roselle, and are connected to a system that sends out a signal that can be read by the Village. Public Works employees drive through the Village with laptops or other devices to collect the signals that can be detected by the system. That data is analyzed, and if any readings are missing, an attempt is made to go back and collect those readings.

Billing Periods

While the Village collects water usage data at the start of each month, there are times where there are up to 5 or 6 extra days in a billing period. Occasionally, the first day of the month falls on a weekend or on a holiday, causing a delay in the meter reading schedule. 

Average Consumption Data

Even with the occasional few extra days in a billing period, utility customers can check their average daily consumption, which is printed on the utility bill, to see if there are any substantial changes in the amount of water they are being billed for. Utility customers can also compare their monthly consumption to the same month a year ago, which is also printed on the bill, to gauge consumption. Except for seasonal variations like summer watering or humidifier use in the winter, average usage should be similar. 

Additionally, utility customers can look at their water meter and compare it to what is printed on the monthly bill. This is a good way to make sure that the Village is reading the correct meter, and that the transmitted reading is accurate. 

Billing Fluctuations

Fluctuations in water usage can be very specific from household to household, and may at times reflect seasonal usage (additional winter usage includes kids home from college, holiday guests, or the running of a whole house humidifier). The Village encourages all those who question their utility bill to call the Finance Department at (630) 980-2000 or email finance@roselle.il.us. Village employees can help determine if there is a problem with statements, review average daily consumption, and help determine why water usage is increasing.

Billing Procedures & System Audits

The Village calculates the usage amounts for utility bills, which are sent to a third party vendor for printing and delivery. The Village of Roselle undergoes an audit on an annual basis by an outside auditing firm as required by law. The annual audit includes testing billing by comparing the number of gallons purchased from the DuPage Water Commission to the number of gallons billed to customers. This audit verifies that our financial software is correctly billing our customers. 

In addition, the Village prepares an annual report to the State of Illinois showing the number of gallons purchased, the number of gallons billed and the amount of “water loss”, which can include loss from water main breaks, fire fighting, system flushing and leaks in the system. Residents and businesses can audit the Village themselves by taking a reading from their meter at the beginning of each month and comparing it to the reading shown on their bill. Each bill contains the prior reading, the current reading, the number of gallons billed, the number of billing days and the average amount of water used each day. The bill also contains the calculation of the water, sewer and CIS charges.

Testing for Water Leaks

Utility customers can test their meters themselves by taking a reading right before bed, and then again first thing in the morning to ensure that the meter is working correctly and to identify the possibility of potential water leaks. Some silent leaks in toilets can be detected by putting a couple drops of dark food coloring into the toilet tank. Without flushing, wait 10-15 minutes to see if color appears into the bowl indicating there is a leak. Roselle Public Works Water Division can also run a diagnostic test on water meters that may include a test against a container of known volume.

Most water leaks can be traced back to toilet tanks, however, malfunctioning water softeners or humidifiers, or a leaky pipe in the slab or foundation may be possible. Utility customers unable to easily find a leak source are recommended to contact a plumber for assistance.

Additional Resources