The joy of the water meter
Discussion
Water meters are great, and I am very glad I'm on one - but they can bite. I've heard a couple of stories, but the most recent was my own folks who went on holiday for two weeks and asked a neighbour to water their garden plants for them while they were away. He accidentally left the outside tap on which then ran continuously for several days. Cue eye-watering bill 
I have also installed a 55 gallon water butt for the garden ( I only really have a few tubs and one small border) although I do still have sprinklers for the tubs but suspect I may be more careful in their use this summer. All the rain off three sids of the roof go in there and it fills in a few hours with only moderate rain. They sell pumps for the water butt so really all garden watering could be done for free in all but the dryest of periods (like we have them!).
They now sell bloody enourmous underground water storage tanks which store thousands of gallons: I have seen the future.
They now sell bloody enourmous underground water storage tanks which store thousands of gallons: I have seen the future.
Jasandjules said:
Sadly our water bill is a fair bit higher with a meter....Ah well... We tried to find a house without a meter but sadly couldn't!.
This would probably make no difference. If you are the occupier of a house before water meters were introduced I believe you can carry on without one. However if the ownership of a house changes then you can be forced to have a water meter by the local water board and there is nothing you can do about this.Brown and Boris said:
I have also installed a 55 gallon water butt for the garden ( I only really have a few tubs and one small border) although I do still have sprinklers for the tubs but suspect I may be more careful in their use this summer. All the rain off three sids of the roof go in there and it fills in a few hours with only moderate rain. They sell pumps for the water butt so really all garden watering could be done for free in all but the dryest of periods (like we have them!).
They now sell bloody enourmous underground water storage tanks which store thousands of gallons: I have seen the future.
They now sell bloody enourmous underground water storage tanks which store thousands of gallons: I have seen the future.
Water butts rock! Also, certainly where I live, rain water is much better for washing the cars than the tap water is - much better streak-free finish easily obtainable.
Parrot of Doom said:
They won't install one at my house, because to do so would mean switching the entire block of terraces off. We share the same pipe, it goes underneath my house.
Its a reet pisser I can tell thee.
They said something similar to me when I asked for one to be fitted. I think it was a bit of cop out because they couldn't be bothered having to dig up the road. I've got them to come back and sort it out - if they don't, I only have one mains tap in the house to switch off if I have a leak, not to mention the fact that I use very little water relative to the size of my bill. Its a reet pisser I can tell thee.
had one fitted, unfortunately for them, they bodged it and it leaked and leaked until I got a bill for £5k, luckily the leak was on their side and the cost to me was nothing, when moved in the bill was £300 per year, now it is £8 per month 
Friend round the corner pays just under £400 per year, but is renting and landlord is not sure about meters - 1 bed flat
I pay for the water I actually use, washing machine 1-2x per week, mix of showers and baths, mostly showers
Friend round the corner pays just under £400 per year, but is renting and landlord is not sure about meters - 1 bed flat
I pay for the water I actually use, washing machine 1-2x per week, mix of showers and baths, mostly showers
Parrot of Doom said:
They won't install one at my house, because to do so would mean switching the entire block of terraces off. We share the same pipe, it goes underneath my house.
Its a reet pisser I can tell thee.
Have you asked them again recently?Its a reet pisser I can tell thee.
I had the same problem a few years back when I first asked - top floor apartment so its not like I was going to be washing the car with a hose pipe or watering the garden!
First time they said no, would have to turn the whole block off - a year later they did it no question in the middle of the day.
£5 a month
David87M3 said:
Parrot of Doom said:
They won't install one at my house, because to do so would mean switching the entire block of terraces off. We share the same pipe, it goes underneath my house.
Its a reet pisser I can tell thee.
so you dont have an individual isolator tap in your property?Its a reet pisser I can tell thee.
To get to the pipe in my house, you have to work in a dusty crawlspace about 2 feet high, and crawl 30 feet on your back to get to it, and I got the distinct impression that they couldn't be arsed. To be honest, it isn't a job I'd fancy either.
I'm sure they will screw you someway.
I was happily getting water from a borehole.
The water was excellent and only paid for waste.
They decided we had to have water from the mains supply, so they dug everywhere up. Now we get cr@p quality water and have to pay for it.
Thieving b**tards.
I was happily getting water from a borehole.
The water was excellent and only paid for waste.
They decided we had to have water from the mains supply, so they dug everywhere up. Now we get cr@p quality water and have to pay for it.
Thieving b**tards.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff