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Your electric bill is calculated in kilowatt-hours (kWh) used in a monthly billing cycle. An electric meter measures kWh. A kWh is 1000 watts of electricity used for one hour. One 100 watt bulb burning for 10 hours equals on kWh. As the meter is read from month to month, the difference in these readings accounts for your consumption and you are billed accordingly. Columbia Water and Light has different rates for our residential customers. These rates are determined by what kind of heating and cooling equipment are being utilized at the residence.
Columbia Water and Light uses two types of electric meters to measure residential consumption. One type of electric meter has numerals similar to the odometer in your car. As energy is consumed these columns of numerals revolve, tallying the amount of kWh used.
The other type of electric meter has four or five dials that look similar to clock faces. In this meter, the right dial measures kWh. This means that the appliances have to use 1000 watt-hours to move the dial's point one number. When this dial completes one revolution, the dial to the left advances one number. The first, third and fifth dials move clockwise; the second and fourth dials move counter clockwise.
To read your meter, read the dials right to left, writing down the numbers in the same order. In the diagram below, look at the first dial on your right, it's turning clockwise and the hand is in between the six and the seven. When the dial pointer is between two numbers, write down the lower of the two numbers. You want to record the number that the hand has just passed - in this case, six. Continuing from your right, the second dial is turning counter clockwise and is just past the five, so the next number you write down is five. Continue this method with the following three dials for a complete reading.
The correct reading for this meter is 73256.
When a dial pointer appears to be exactly on a number, look back at the dial to the right. If the pointer on that dial has passed zero, that indicates the dial has made a complete revolution and you should record the number the pointer is on. If it has not passed zero, record the next lowest number to the pointer.
Four-dial meters may be set to record a percentage of the electricity you use. If so, your meter may have a multiplying factor printed in red on the meter below the dials, such as "multiply by 20" or "x40". If you have this type of meter, find the difference between your present reading and the following day's reading and multiply that number by your meter's multiplying factor to determine the actual number of kilowatt-hours used.
Meters are highly accurate instruments. One way to monitor your consumption is to read your meter and check it daily or weekly. If you read your meter at the same time each day, subtract the present reading from the previous day's reading to determine the number of kilowatt-hours used in one day. By reading your meter at the same time each day, you will get an exact total of the electricity you have used. By noting high consumption activities, such as air conditioning in the summer, you will know where you are spending your energy dollars. Reading your meter often, along with careful observation of the weather and appliances being used, can help you manage energy consumption and evaluate the effectiveness of appliances.
Your meter is read once a month by a Water and Light employee. Due to weekends, holidays or the length of the month, the total days between each meter reading may vary. So it's possible for your monthly usage to increase or decrease from the previous billing period even though your average daily use remains the same.
On occasion, events beyond our control may force us to estimate your home's electric usage for a month's billing cycle. Locked gates, threatening dogs, covered or blocked meters and dangerous weather conditions may make it impossible for meter readers to reach your electric meter. Bills are estimated in mass when weather conditions cause a safety hazard for meter readers. As you build or landscape your home, think about how we are going to get to your meter. If you are fencing in your yard, is your electric meter inside or outside that new locked gate? Those new bushes will be beautiful along the side of you house, but are you leaving enough room for someone to get to your meter to read it?
If there is a billing error, it will be handled in the normal procedure, with a credit adjustment on your next bill. E-mail a Customer Service Representative or call (573) 874-7380. If there is a question about electricity usage, the meter will be re-read. You will then be referred to the Energy Management Department. Free energy audits are available by calling 874-7325.
With our free Automatic Bill Payment service, you can have your City of Columbia utility bill paid automatically from any participating Bank, Savings and Loan or Credit Union account.
With Automatic Bill Payment, you will still keep control over your utility payments. You'll continue to receive a monthly utility statement. Then, approximately 10 days later, the payment will be deducted from your account. That's plenty of time to review the statement and call our Customer Service Representative if you have any questions.
You can also pay your bill over the phone or on the city's web site. Click here for utility payment options.
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