Off Topic Water Meters

[eastlondonseagull]

It's a right bugger if you're a family - the bills soar!

 

[BensGrandad]

At my pub in Guildford we had a water meter and the bill was very high. We had a problem and the two houses either side lost their supply. The supply was fixed we turned our water back on and they received water. So as to be sure we turned the water off on 2 other occasions and the same thing happened so to any normal person that would indicate that our meter was supplying all three premises. The roof was one big roof covering the pub and 2 houses so assumingly many years ago it was one building. It took 18 months for the water company to agree as they couldnt find the plans showing the water pipe installation for the 3 buildings by which time we were due to leave the pub and never did pay the bill..

 

[Bry Nylon]

I calculated how much our water would be with or without a meter and they came out pretty similar:


Southern water price per litre: 0.104p

Daily usage (approximately, with me and my girlfriend):

1 x bath - 70L - 7.28p
1 x shower - 20K - 2.08p
Washing machine (1 cycle) - 46L - 4.784p
Washing up (2 bowls) - 8L - 1.664p
Toilet flushing (5 times) - 30L - 3.12p
Washing hands, drinking & cooking - 10L - 1.04p

Plus standing charges:

supply - 26.37p
sewerage - 28.82p
Sewerage charge - 154.8p

Total - £292.87

The yearly cost on the unmetered bill they sent me was £300, so pretty similar really.

http://www.southernwater.co.uk/DomesticCustomers/aboutYourBill/

My meter is under the kitchen sink btw.

Genuinely, words fail me.

 

[BensGrandad]

My pub was the only house up the road that hada meter and I used to argue that it should have been possible to install ameter between the pub and the flat above so that I paid by meter for the pub but got the flat at the same rate as everybody else up the road. Why should I pay for what I sued when everyother house could use as much as they liked.

I think that every house should be metered but the problem is that once a meter is installed it wouldnt be long before the water suppliers started adding just a few coppers to the charges and the price would rise at an alarming rate.

 

[Notters]

Genuinely, words fail me.

Only trying to help . Seems a bit pointless discussing it otherwise.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Our water meter (shared between four properties) is two miles away. We don't have access to the land that the pipe runs through. When a leak occurs (which happens easily, what with the land being cultivated with heavy equipment), we don't find out about it until the next bill arrives. And then we can't necessarily identify where the leak is - because we don't have access to the land. We are, however, held responsible for getting the leak repaired. The last bill was for THOUSANDS of pounds. It hasn't been paid.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

I have a 1 bed flat. Just me living permanently but gf is over fair bit and being a swimming teacher I have lots of towels and wet uniform to wash and take lots of showers. Main point is though, I oddly have 2 water meters! One in bathroom and one under the sink in kitchen which also seems to naturally include washing machine next to it.

Now no problem if the 2 bills come as water use is split two ways. What I have always been worried about though is I think I'm paying 2 set fees/prices for things like supply and drainage or waste removal whatever? Are these likely to be a one off or done as a percentage of water used and thus not an issue. It's late and been a long week (plus pub quiz tonight) so can't explain exactly what I mean but does anyone follow? I've tried phoning Southern Water and they always take lots of convincing I even have 2 meters, yet the guys that appear occasionally to check them seem to know. Even when I phone in my own readings they seem confused I have 2!