The short answer
A Western Australian Services (WAS) lock secures a suitable meter box or gate while letting authorised utility workers in with a master key. You keep your own key and it works like any other lock. You don't have to lock your meter box, but if the box or the route to it is locked, an ordinary padlock is not recommended.
Key points
- A WAS lock gives you your own key and gives authorised utility workers access too.
- Western Power requires its approved master-key lock if the meter box or route to it is locked.
- Water Corporation lists a WAS lock as an option for access to a water meter.
- ATCO has its own requirements for locked gas meter boxes, so don't assume a lock that suits an electricity meter box suits a gas meter.
- A locked side gate in front of the meters is part of the access route.
- A photo of the meter box or gate helps us give an accurate price.
A Western Australian Services (WAS) lock lets you secure a suitable meter box or gate while giving authorised utility workers access with a master key.
You get your own key, and it works like any other lock. The difference is that authorised utility workers can open it too, so they can still reach the meter when you are not home.
The problem a WAS lock solves
Utility workers need to reach meters to read and maintain them. If a meter box, or the gate in front of it, is locked with an ordinary padlock, they cannot get through when you are out.
A WAS lock keeps the enclosure secured while leaving access for the people who need it. That is why an ordinary padlock is not recommended on a meter box or on the route to it.
When you need one
You do not need to lock your meter box at all. The question comes up when the meter box, or the way to it, is locked.
- Electricity meters. Western Power says that if its meter box, or the route to it, is locked, the lock must be an approved Western Power master-key lock.
- Water meters. Water Corporation lists a WAS lock as an option for keeping access to a water meter.
- Gas meters. ATCO has its own requirements for locked gas meter boxes, including a viewing opening. Do not assume a lock that suits an electricity meter box suits a gas meter.
Because each utility and enclosure is different, we check which meter is involved and what it needs before recommending a lock.
What about the gate?
This catches a lot of people out. If you lock a gate between the street and your meters, the gate is part of the access route. Locking it with an ordinary padlock can stop utility workers reaching a meter even if the meter box itself is unlocked.
If your meters sit behind a locked side gate, check whether that gate needs an approved lock too.
Common situations
- Someone has put an ordinary padlock on the meter box.
- You have added a lockable side gate and the meters are behind it.
- The existing meter box lock is broken or missing and you want it locked.
- You manage a rental or strata property and want meter access sorted at a changeover.
What it costs
The price depends on the meter box or gate, the lock that is on it now, how many locks you need and where the property is. A photo of the meter box or gate helps us give you an accurate price. We confirm the expected cost before any work starts.
How it works
- Tell us where the meter box or gate is, which meter it is, and send a photo if you can.
- We confirm what is needed and the cost.
- We fit the lock and check it closes properly.
Need a WAS lock fitted?
Call Portside on 0403 232 113 and tell us about the meter box or gate. We supply and fit WAS locks on meter boxes and gates across Fremantle and the southern suburbs. We are available seven days, and after-hours help is subject to availability.
