The water meter is an important tool for understanding and monitoring water use.  Your water meter keeps track of how much water your household uses. 

Most residential meters are digital.  A digital meter has a large dial and reads in a straight line, much like a car odometer.  It also has a red sweep hand and one complete revolution of that hand indicates one cubic foot (7.48 gallons) of water has passed through the meter.  Your meter is read by District personnel about every 60 days and the results are recorded in billing units - 1 billing unit is 100 cubic feet or 748 gallons.

Left unfixed, leaks waste a tremendous amount of water and can develop into more serious plumbing problems.  If you have a leak, it can usually be detected at the water meter.  First, turn off all water uses on the property while you are checking for leaks.  Many meters have a small blue star or red triangle on the face of the dial - this is a very sensitive "leak detector" - even a small leak will be indicated by a rotating star or triangle.  If after a few seconds you see no clear movement, you probably don't have a leak.

Toilet leaks are the most common household leak, so the toilet should be the first fixture to check when your water consumption increases. If your meter indicates a leak, by constantly turning, your toilet can be isolated by turning off the Shut-Off Valve at the wall beneath the toilet tank. If the valve is turned off and your meter stops turning, you have found the source of the leak.

Inside the toilet is the flapper. It is the round rubber disk at the bottom of the tank. By lifting off the lid, you notice that the flush handle connects to the “chain” which connects to the flapper. By pushing the handle down, the chain lifts the flapper which releases water to flush the bowl. Flappers last about 2-5 years before they begin to degrade and allow water to leak. This is the most common source of toilet leaks and is usually the cause of a toilet turning on and off periodically. Flapper leaks commonly turn on and off, so they are not always detectable by checking the meter to see if it is turning.  If you do see your meter moving when no one is using water or if the toilet seems to flush by itself, the flapper is probably the culprit. To verify the nature of your problem, do a dye test. Mix dark food coloring (instant coffee, powdered fruit drink mix or the dye tablets provided in the District’s Water Conservation Kits) with the toilet tank water. If your flapper is leaking, or if your water level is set too high, you will see the bowl water begin to discolor within about five minutes as the food coloring leaks into the bowl. If your water level does not need to be adjusted you have a leaky flapper. To replace a leaky flapper, turn off the valve at the wall, flush the toilet, then unhook the old flapper. There is a round outlet at the base of the tank that the flapper sits against. Run your finger around the top edge of this outlet to feel for nicks, scratches or other irregularities. A rough surface here can cause water to leak past a perfectly good flapper. If the surface is damaged then you will have to unbolt the tank and replace this outlet and flapper. Once replaced, do a dye test again to check for a good seal.

The District is responsible for the service line from the main line to the meter in the utility right-of-way.  The service line and all plumbing fixtures from the meter to the home are the responsibility of the water customer.  If you find a leak in your meter box you should call 805-528-9370 immediately

Below is the US Drought map for your reference.  As you can see, we are in a moderate to severe drought in our county.

The Los Osos Community Services District’s Administration Department prides itself on providing the best possible service to the community of Los Osos. Los Osos is a small eclectic coastal town tucked away on the Central Coast of California and is known for its beauty and unmatched scenic views of the surrounding area.

The Los Osos Community Services District is currently accepting resumes for a full-time Administrative Services Manager position that will direct, manage, supervise, and coordinate assigned programs and activities within the Administrative Services Department including finance, human resources, payroll, risk management, solid waste, customer service and information systems; act as Deputy Secretary to the Board of Directors, Deputy District Clerk, and Deputy Secretary to the District; coordinate assigned activities with other departments and outside agencies; and  provide highly responsible and complex administrative support to the General Manager.

The District offers a competitive compensation package and an exceptional work environment to its employees. A complete job description and related requirements are available on the District website https://www.losososcsd.org/career-opportunities-administrative-services-manager

LOCSD is continuing with their regularly scheduled Board, Utilities Advisory Committee, Finance Advisory Committee, Emergency Services Advisory Committee and Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee Meetings. 

Information for each meeting and how to get connected will be available on the Agenda for each meeting. Agendas can be found on the LOCSD Website (losososcsd.org) which is posted a minimum of 72 hours before the meeting time.

Our upcoming meetings are:

• Utilities Advisory Committee Meeting - March 16, 2022 @5:30PM 
• Emergency Services Advisory Committee Meeting - March 22, 2022 @5:30PM 
• Finance Advisory Committee Meeting - April 4, 2022 @ 5:30PM
• Board of Directors Meeting Open Session - April 7, 2022 @ 6PM
• Parks & Recreation Meeting - April 19, 2022 @5:30PM 
• Utilities Advisory Committee Meeting - April 20, 2022 @5:30PM 

For more information about the upcoming meetings for LOCSD, please go to our website, or click here.