water meter - saving water

[Alang]

Northumbrian water insist on putting them on the external stoptap. Just done our next doors and dug a big hole to enlarge the trap

[chris French]

In message , Alang writes

Probably not.

Both my current water supply co. (Cambridge water) and my previous one (Yorkshire water) have a procedure whereby if a leak in the supply pipe is discovered then they will only charge you for the estimated actual consumption - not the leakage. We had a leak, discovered when the meter reading was high and they did indeed refund us.

They will also repair free of charge leaks in the supply pipe. Even on your property where it is your responsibility

[Frank Erskine]

No they don't. Northumbrian Water virtually insisted on fitting it indoors.

Actually the work was carried out by a subsidiary company of theirs - Kemac Services Ltd.

[PeterC]

Anglia Water once said the same - does any one know if it still applies?

I read my meter every week (almost always 380 - 420 li) and turn off the internal SC when I'm away. The pipe to the house is about 15yo HDPE, so I hope it's OK.

[Janet Tweedy]

In article , Alang writes

It says in the contract that you can claim for 1 leak or rather 'not pay for that amount'

[Andrew Gabriel]

They all said it for a while when the government put pressure on them about mains leaks. AFAIK, they pretty well all stopped offering such a service. (I'm surprised Cambridge water still do.) Anglia Water sell insurance protection, with dire warnings about how much it would cost you if you don't take it out and you do get a leak.

[chris French]

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

Anglia still seem to offer a free, one off, repair/pipe replacement service

[Alang]

Same with Northumbrian water. Letters every year pointing out it will cost thousands to fix a leak on your property

[Alang]

And if you get two leaks?

[chris French]

In message , Alang writes

Who also offer a free repair service.

This is of course for the supply pipe outside, it doesn't cover leaks to the supply once it gets to your house.

We used to get the letters selling 'leaks' insurance as well, but they don't anymore since i asked them to stop.

[PeterC]

Thanks for that - PDF duly filed away until I forget it!

[Huge]

The single best reason for running Ubuntu (and I didn't even know it was there until I started using Ubuntu); the "Tracker" local search engine.

I assume MacOS's "Spotlight" does much the same thing.

[Alang]

Not that I'm aware of. The supply from the stop tap at the boundary is my responsibility according to the letters they send me. I confess I don't bother reading them anymore though.

[Janet Tweedy]

In article , Andrew Gabriel writes

But it says in the literature that you are allowed 1 major loss of water and they will adjust your bill accordingly for that. At least it says so on the leaflet from 3 valleys.

[Janet Tweedy]

In article , chris French writes lots of good tips.

Thanks Chris and to everyone else, I guess it will be true that you are paranoid for about three months and thereafter just learn to use it as best you can.

Most estimates for the future usage don't come anywhere as high as the current bills based on the rateable value.

Janet

[Rod]

I just have a nasty feeling about these experiences. Looks as if the charges are set such that most people would benefit by changing to metered supply. But, when most people are on metered supplies, the companies will have to raise the costs in order to maintain their incomes. So it looks as if the current rates are being used as an inducement and likely cannot be sustained long term.

Cynical? Moi?

[PeterC]

That was my feeling, so I went on as soon as I could. By the time the great washed masses join us I'll have saved thousands :-)

[chris French]

In message , Alang writes

That is correct. They are just offering a free service (with a few conditions) to reapir the leak rather than you having to pay someone.

Sometimes it's beneficial to differentiate between junk and useful information.

[Tony Bryer]

Save that if metering reduces or reverses the growth in water usage, the water companies can save big money on new infrastructure.

[Rod]

Accepted as an argument. But from some responses (and what I have read elsewhere in the past) it appears that the savings in cost *without* reducing consumption markedly have reduced the incentive to save.

(On the other hand, I know someone who has the most disgusting WCs because they are scared of the cost of a flush. Quite possibly because they have never worked out the actual costs involved.)