Water meters are located in the utility right-of-way (a strip of land used by utility companies to construct and maintain equipment and services the utility companies provide) and are owned by Paducah Water. PW employees must have clear access to the water meter at all times. That’s why it is very important to avoid obstructing the meter box at your location with plants, bushes, mulch or other landscaping materials.

Also, do not tamper with the water meter in any way.  Water meter tampering is against the law (see the City Ordinance below), and Paducah Water will take action as necessary if a meter or meter box has been disturbed or damaged.  If you notice the lid for your meter box is missing, is not securely bolted or has been damaged, please contact our office.

City of Paducah Code of Ordinances
Sec. 114-262. – Turning water on or off without authority; injuring or interfering with waterworks property.

(a) No person who is not an officer or an employee of the waterworks distribution system, or not having a permit from one duly authorized to execute the same, shall turn on or off any water from any main, distributing pipe, shutoff box or other device, or open, injure or otherwise interfere with any shutoff box or water meter, nor shall any person injure, tamper with or unscrew any nut or other fastening device on or about any fireplug. Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this subsection (a) shall be deemed guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

(b) Any person committing any act of trespass or injury to any of the property connected with and belonging to the waterworks system of the city not specifically defined in subsection (a) above shall be deemed guilty of a class B misdemeanor.

(Code 1968, § 32-2; Ord. No. 91-11-4698, 11-26-91; Code 1996, § 53.02)