What type of reading might you expect from a faulty water meter?

When assessing a faulty water meter, the expectation is that it would produce inconsistent readings. A water meter is designed to accurately measure the flow of water over time, but if it is malfunctioning, the readings may fluctuate unexpectedly. This inconsistency can arise from various issues such as mechanical wear and tear, blockages within the meter, or electrical failures in digital meters.

The nature of a faulty meter means that it may not reflect the true amount of water being used, leading to irregular and unpredictable readings. This characteristic distinguishes it from the other options, where consistent readings—whether high or low—would indicate a meter that is at least somewhat functional, while accurate readings would suggest that the meter is working correctly, which is not the case when it is faulty. Thus, the prediction of inconsistent readings reflects the unreliability of a malfunctioning water meter and is the most accurate understanding of its behavior.