The water meter is like the speedometer of your plumbing system. If all taps are off and no appliances are running, the meter should be almost still. If it’s still turning, water is going somewhere – possibly into a hidden leak.
By knowing where the meter is and occasionally checking it during a quiet time, you can spot suspicious activity. You might turn off all obvious uses, note the reading, wait a while, and check again. If it has moved significantly, water is flowing where it shouldn’t.
That’s a sign to investigate further or call a plumber, before the leak becomes visible as damp walls, inflated bills, or damage.
Without this simple check, you may only realise something is wrong when the problem has grown large and expensive.