Sometimes you put elements into a game that probably nobody will notice but they're there just as a nice touch.

In both Teleporter Test and Tripkey, if you "read" the electric meter, in addition to the standard warning that tampering with the meter violates the Winnemac Public Utilities Code, it tells you the current reading. Which changes with every move in the game. This is normal, because your electric meter is counting electricity being used.

Now, in Teleporter Test, read the water meter and it keeps staying the same until either you open the valve or open the drain, or crack the meter, at which point it keeps increasing. But, if you close the valve and open the drain, the meter stops running and the lower room becomes accessible.

Same if you smash the gas meter, it causes a leak and the meter is running to count the gas being consumed.

I can presume almost nobody will read the meters, But it's still a nice touch. like the "hiss" sound that occurs when you're near a broken gas meter. Come close and you hear it, as you move away it stops. I think Roody said that the effect was somewhat startling and made the game more realistic.