Off topic - Water meter charges

[Mr Bridger]

It just shows how much people waste, being on a water meter should be more beneficial for households of 3 or less.
The only resin why it goes up, is because you have not concept of how much it costs and because you pay a set fee you can use as much as you like.
I installed rain water harvesting and have reduced my bills by a third, added to this tap restricters , shower filters etc I managed to get my bills down to £18 a month for 3 people, that includes a teenage daughter!

 

[Fungus]

For comparison, those of you that regularly check your meters, how many units do you use each week?

We (two adults) get through 1.3 units (not sure what the units are, but guess they are standardised) per week.

Have to admit we keep a spreadsheet, after a panic about a leak recently, but it turned out Mrs McF-T just wasn't reading the meter to enough decimal places!

 

[Mr Bridger]

For comparison, those of you that regularly check your meters, how many units do you use each week?

We (two adults) get through 1.3 units (not sure what the units are, but guess they are standardised) per week.

Have to admit we keep a spreadsheet, after a panic about a leak recently, but it turned out Mrs McF-T just wasn't reading the meter to enough decimal places!

1.3 cubic meters = 1300 lts or to put it into perspective 1300 litre bottles of coke.
Average usage is 150 ltrs per day per person.
Water companies and building regs are trying to get this down to 125 ltrs per day.

 

[Hamilton]

How timely this all is.

I have had a letter through the post from Southern Water informing me that my bills will be increasing from £75 a month to £150 per month! I kid you not.

I have had a plumber round to check for leaks and he has said everything is fine. According to Southern Water we have doubled our use of water in the last year. Doubled it? This is for what probably equates to a family of 5.

I had already had cause to protest to Southern Water when they increased our bills from £50 per month to £75 per month after we had our meter installed.

To add insult to injury, SW's letter to us opened by saying "We have had a review of your account and are delighted to report that there are no issues on the account." it then goes on to inform us of the rise. It left me wondering who was delighted?

 

[Mr Bridger]

How timely this all is.

I have had a letter through the post from Southern Water informing me that my bills will be increasing from £75 a month to £150 per month! I kid you not.

I have had a plumber round to check for leaks and he has said everything is fine. According to Southern Water we have doubled our use of water in the last year. Doubled it? This is for what probably equates to a family of 5.

I had already had cause to protest to Southern Water when they increased our bills from £50 per month to £75 per month after we had our meter installed.

To add insult to injury, SW's letter to us opened by saying "We have had a review of your account and are delighted to report that there are no issues on the account." it then goes on to inform us of the rise. It left me wondering who was delighted?

I have done 100's of private water efficiency audits for a major water company and now do it for business's and save them thousands , so have a good idea on where to save and where you using your water.
If you let me know your details of wc,s , showers, how many in the household, dishwasher, washing machine etc, will be able to advise on where to save on what gadgets to fit. Pm if you want to keep private.

 

[Fungus]

1.3 cubic meters = 1300 lts or to put it into perspective 1300 litre bottles of coke.
Average usage is 150 ltrs per day per person.
Water companies and building regs are trying to get this down to 125 ltrs per day.

Ah, so we are each using about 92 litres per day (all water, no coke).

Our super-duper 6 litre dishwasher probably made a difference. Plus the new dual-flush loo (the other three loos will need replacing!).

I feel better now.

Edit/PS. Our bill is about £30 per month, but my wife can't talk about water without mentioning that we have the most expensive suppliers in the country.

 

[Fungus]

How timely this all is.

I have had a letter through the post from Southern Water informing me that my bills will be increasing from £75 a month to £150 per month! I kid you not.

I have had a plumber round to check for leaks and he has said everything is fine. According to Southern Water we have doubled our use of water in the last year. Doubled it? This is for what probably equates to a family of 5.

I had already had cause to protest to Southern Water when they increased our bills from £50 per month to £75 per month after we had our meter installed.

To add insult to injury, SW's letter to us opened by saying "We have had a review of your account and are delighted to report that there are no issues on the account." it then goes on to inform us of the rise. It left me wondering who was delighted?

Sounds like the letters we get from Sky when they are putting the price up by way above inflation.

I'd strongly suggest you take regular meter readings, then you'll know if something has gone wrong. A friend of ours got caught with a huge bill for a leak. The water companies will let you off the first "incident", but her pipe had broken in two places, and they wanted a fortune for the "second" leak.

Also, make sure you have insurance for repairing supply pipework on your side of the meter. We added it to our heating service plan, for a small amount.

Oh, and we had a faulty meter at our previous house, and got a large bill, but Severn Trent adjusted our bill based on previous usage.

 

[Hamilton]

I have done 100's of private water efficiency audits for a major water company and now do it for business's and save them thousands , so have a good idea on where to save and where you using your water.
If you let me know your details of wc,s , showers, how many in the household, dishwasher, washing machine etc, will be able to advise on where to save on what gadgets to fit. Pm if you want to keep private.

Cheers Mr Bridger. Most kind sir.

Here are your clues...

3 WCs (1 in outside office)
1 shower
1 bath
1 dishwasher
1 washing machine (in out house)

Boiler in the loft. House spread over 3 floors. So hot water source a long way away from kitchen sink.

On average 5 in the household. All grown up buggers so shower gets a battering every day.

All the best.

Hamilton

 

[Vegas Seagull]

How timely this all is.

I have had a letter through the post from Southern Water informing me that my bills will be increasing from £75 a month to £150 per month! I kid you not.

I have had a plumber round to check for leaks and he has said everything is fine. According to Southern Water we have doubled our use of water in the last year. Doubled it? This is for what probably equates to a family of 5.

I had already had cause to protest to Southern Water when they increased our bills from £50 per month to £75 per month after we had our meter installed.

To add insult to injury, SW's letter to us opened by saying "We have had a review of your account and are delighted to report that there are no issues on the account." it then goes on to inform us of the rise. It left me wondering who was delighted?

Next door is filling up their swimming pool from your garden tap & sticking the sprinkler on when you're at the footy...

 

[Hamilton]

Sounds like the letters we get from Sky when they are putting the price up by way above inflation.

I'd strongly suggest you take regular meter readings, then you'll know if something has gone wrong. A friend of ours got caught with a huge bill for a leak. The water companies will let you off the first "incident", but her pipe had broken in two places, and they wanted a fortune for the "second" leak.

Also, make sure you have insurance for repairing supply pipework on your side of the meter. We added it to our heating service plan, for a small amount.

Oh, and we had a faulty meter at our previous house, and got a large bill, but Severn Trent adjusted our bill based on previous usage.

Thanks for that insight. I'll take a look at that insurance idea.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Cheers Mr Bridger. Most kind sir.

Here are your clues...

3 WCs (1 in outside office)
1 shower
1 bath
1 dishwasher
1 washing machine (in out house)

Boiler in the loft. House spread over 3 floors. So hot water source a long way away from kitchen sink.

On average 5 in the household. All grown up buggers so shower gets a battering every day.

All the best.

Hamilton

Ok , are your wc's dual flush or single? (push button or Handle)
your shower electric , power , or mixer?
how long do you all spend in the shower?
how many baths per week?
boiler combi or system boiler ( with tank/ cylinder?)
age of dishwasher and how many times a week do you use it?


same with washing machine?

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Ok , are your wc's dual flush or single? (push button or Handle)
your shower electric , power , or mixer?
how long do you all spend in the shower?
how many baths per week?
boiler combi or system boiler ( with tank/ cylinder?)
age of dishwasher and how many times a week do you use it?


same with washing machine?

Mr Bridger----are you Charlie Mullins-----if so I claim my prize

 

[Mr Bridger]

Sounds like the letters we get from Sky when they are putting the price up by way above inflation.

I'd strongly suggest you take regular meter readings, then you'll know if something has gone wrong. A friend of ours got caught with a huge bill for a leak. The water companies will let you off the first "incident", but her pipe had broken in two places, and they wanted a fortune for the "second" leak.

Also, make sure you have insurance for repairing supply pipework on your side of the meter. We added it to our heating service plan, for a small amount.

Oh, and we had a faulty meter at our previous house, and got a large bill, but Severn Trent adjusted our bill based on previous usage.

most insurance companies will not cover leaks on existing pipework , they put it down to wear and tear.
Some will pay for the tracing of the leak but not the actual fixing of it, so worth checking. Our water company used to do a "beyond the box" one locate and repair but was costing them thousands, so they put the onus on the customer now as its on private land.
As a result of this we are members of the 'Water Safe' scheme so we get all the referrals now from the water company to repair outside leaks. The water company can inform this now in a court of law as it contravenes the water bylaws act and can fine you up to £1000.

If anyone does come across this always insist on the water company check the outgoing part of the boundary box first as the majority of the leaks will be here and usually down to poor workmanship on there part installing it in the 1st place. Could save you a lot of money!!

 

[Mr Bridger]

Mr Bridger----are you Charlie Mullins-----if so I claim my prize

Subsidiary, went to school with Chaz

 

[Hamilton]

Ok , are your wc's dual flush or single? (push button or Handle)
your shower electric , power , or mixer?
how long do you all spend in the shower?
how many baths per week?
boiler combi or system boiler ( with tank/ cylinder?)
age of dishwasher and how many times a week do you use it?


same with washing machine?

Mr Bridger! You'll be asking me how much I clean my smells next!

OK wc's are dual flush

Shower is a mixer

Shower times are short. 2-3 minutes.

Maybe collectively there will be 3-4 baths per week (that could be cut)

It's a system boiler ( with tank/ cylinder?)

Dishwasher is new and we use it once a day

Same with washing machine.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Subsidiary, went to school with Chaz

Always sounds like you know what you are talking about! About to enter 41 years of plumbing/heating

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

Mr Bridger! You'll be asking me how much I clean my smells next!

OK wc's are dual flush

Shower is a mixer

Shower times are short. 2-3 minutes.

Maybe collectively there will be 3-4 baths per week (that could be cut)

It's a system boiler ( with tank/ cylinder?)

Dishwasher is new and we use it once a day

Same with washing machine.

My water bill went from £450 a year to £1300 after the meter was fitted They kept sending me letters that they were concerned ffs! I told the three wimmin in the house to cut DOWN! They said I didn't have any hair and they wouldn't cut down as they all had flowing locks that needed to be manicured!

 

[Hampster Gull]

One of the few things I would re nationalise. It a scam. But metering should be here to stay regardless.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Mr Bridger! You'll be asking me how much I clean my smells next!

OK wc's are dual flush

Shower is a mixer

Shower times are short. 2-3 minutes.

Maybe collectively there will be 3-4 baths per week (that could be cut)

It's a system boiler ( with tank/ cylinder?)

Dishwasher is new and we use it once a day

Same with washing machine.

Ok, if you really want to cut your bills you'll have to embrace this , but it will work.

many of the audits i do , people get the shower times wrong ( not saying you have, but worth checking) Its worth getting a shower timer without the other's knowing and time them separately. Guaranteed its longer than 2/3 minutes.

6min mixer shower will on average cost £74.51 per year based on 1 x shower per day per person ( standard tariff and average energy consumption)

10min = £124.19
15min = £185.28
20min = £247.38

remember thats 1 shower per day per person. you have 5 people and how many does each have per day?
you can also fit a shower save ( restrictor) which will reducer the output to 6 ltrs a minute ( usually run at between 12- 18ltrs )


Baths will use on average 80ltrs of water as opposed to a 5min shower that will use on average 40ltrs.

wc's are good as dual flush, but make sure you have a bin in the bathroom as people tend to use the toilet as a bin then flush away.( again not saying you do!)
30% of your household water gets flushed away down the toilet.
Have done many audits where customers say to me "if its yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down" ( not my advice!)

Dishwasher - Its a life style choice i know , but not a necessity. do you you the same programme all the time? Eco? A lot of audits where the bills are high have heavy use of a dishwasher. The eco wash will use little water but doesn't clean efficiently if heavily soiled, so most people put onto the "pots & pans" programme. this will use on average 15lts or more as opposed to a 6ltr washing up bowl. Added to this the electric with the machine on for an hour or two plus the dishwasher tablets.

As you washing machine is new its more efficient than an old one, and having 5 x people in the household doesn't help the loads , but would say try and do a full load everytime or try and get a days more wear out of the old bake beans. Would recommend to anyone who's looking at buying a new machine to try and spend a bit more on capacity. getting a 12kg machine will save you doing 2 loads in a smaller machine , cutting down on water , electric and powder. More efficient long term.

 

[Mr Bridger]

Always sounds like you know what you are talking about! About to enter 41 years of plumbing/heating

35 years man and boy