Halving water bills with large butts?

Hi All,

I have heard it suggested that if you get four monster water holders and divert rainwater into them (and do nothing else), then your water co will let you off your sewerage charges.

A quick google only showed one off rebates for filling ponds / swimming pools.

Does anyone have details of such a scheme (I think we are with Southern Water or it?s descendants).

Best regards

TIA

Chris

sewerage charges no, surface water charges, possibly, e.g for Severn Trent

"What is the surface water drainage charge?

These charges are levied for the removal and treatment of surface water or rainwater from your property.

Charges are based either on the rateable value of the property or based on property type, for example terraced, semi-detached or detached. If your charges are currently based on rateable value you can opt to be billed based on property type. If no surface water drains from your property or its surrounding area either directly or indirectly to the public sewer, you can claim exemption from this charge."

If you divert water into them and do nothing else, they will soon fill up.

I think the only way you are let off sewerage charges if if you don't have a sewer connection!

HOWEVER...if your water is metered, then you will not only save some money on the water you don't need because of using rainwater, BUT you will usually find that the sewerage charge is reduced, because it's based on a percentage of the water that comes in through your meter (round here, SE Water, it's 92.5%).

If you have soak-aways you can get the surface water element removed.

It may also be worth considering a meter, assuming you don?t already have one. We?ve had one near on 20 years and have saved a fortune. Even when there were 5 of us at home (3 children have their own places now) were were saving money, with just 2 of us, the saving is much more, compared to the fixed bill based on rateable value.

Not all of it because there is an element related to highway drainage.

mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Thames water:-

"For household customers, the fixed charge is £20.57 for water services and £70.07 for wastewater services. If your home isn?t connected to our sewer for the purpose of taking away surface water, you can claim a reduction of £25.15 on the wastewater fixed charge, bringing it to £44.92."

No but if your butt is big there is less room in the bath for the water. Brian

Presumably those are standing charges per annum for a metered supply and there are volume charges in addition?

Says him with a £360/annum, un metered, supply only, water bill.

wrote

If you tell them that your property's rainwater is not sent into the sewage system (that is, it goes into soak-aways instead), they'll let you off £22 a year. That's all I'm aware of.

Thanks Peeps, interesting stuff, especially Biggles.

We are on a meter, all our surface and waste water goes down the same manhole into the sewerage system (has dome in all our houses)

One thing I did spot somewhere is that if you use a load of water you wouldn't normally use that doesn?t go to the sewer (ie, filling a pond / pool), then you can claim a rebate for that amount.

We did have the builders in (not a euphemism!). Last year, and they used a lot of water, I suppose that which went into mortar & plaster won?t have gone to Sewerage at the very least.

Yes, this is for a metered supply and there are additional volume charges. Wastewater = 82.6p per cubic meter (based on incoming water consumption). My household consumption is around 60 cubic meters per year.

water supply = approx £100 (supply is £1.30 per cubic meter) waste water = approx £120

Where there is no meter the wastewater charge is based on the property rateable value but again with only a £25 reduction is you don't discharge rainwater into their sewer. As before, the wastewater charge includes an element based on highway drainage.

With many builders some of the mortar and plaster probably did instead! ;-)

Well when looking at the title all I could think of was kim kardashian water bills.

Congratulations Dave, you win the prize (I make a good straight man).