The　efficient　and　accurate　meter　reading　method　can　help　us　manage　water　resources　more　reasonably.　Aiming　at　the　image　of　the　non-smart　water　meter　taken　by　mobile　phone　photographing,　a　new　method　for　locating　and　fragmenting　digital　area　of　water　meter　is　proposed　in　this　paper.　Firstly,　locate　the　position　of　the　measuring　unit　in　the　water　meter.　Obtain　the　binary　image　of　the　measurement　unit　and　correct　the　image　according　to　its　vertical　projection　feature,　and　then　locate　the　number　area　of　the　water　meter　again.　The　adaptive　threshold　is　used　to　binarize　the　digital　region,　then　the　median　filtering　and　connected-domain　method　are　used　for　denoising.　Finally,　the　digital　segmentation　is　completed　by　finding　the　circumscribed　rectangle　of　the　character.　The　experimental　results　show　that　the　method　can　effectively　locate　the　digital　area　and　segmentation　numeric　characters　for　the　water　meter　image　with　rotation　problem　and　has　strong　adaptability　to　the　water　meter　of　different　water　meter　companies.　©　2019,　Springer　Nature　Singapore　Pte　Ltd.