switching to water meter

deanos

I live in the Wessex Water

Our average useage is 33 cu metres per month, which works out (according to my calculations) at a charge of £836 per year - this includes standing charges plus sewerage charge.

Is there something wrong somewhere - either with my calculations - or is 33 cu metres absolutely excessive - or should we be using the loo less!? ???

33cu is quite a large consumption but not uncommon

Have you checked for leaks ?

Woby_Tide

Hi - I'm new to Money Saving Expert so excuse me if I've posted this wrongly.

I live in the Wessex Water area and I took up their offer of a free meter in 1998. After receiving our first bill we found that the metered supply was costing more than our already very high water rates, so Wessex obligingly put us back onto the rating system.

The meter is still there so I have done another check over the past 8 months. Our average useage is 33 cu metres per month, which works out (according to my calculations) at a charge of £836 per year - this includes standing charges plus sewerage charge.

We are a household of just 3 people. We each have a shower per day, with the occasional bath, we have a dish washer and washing machine, occasionally water the garden with a hose, and I suppose we use the loo a lot!

Is there something wrong somewhere - either with my calculations - or is 33 cu metres absolutely excessive - or should we be using the loo less!? ???

using the data at http://www.yorkshirewater.com/youraccount/install.html

taking the highest physical water usage figure for each activity, if each week you all showered each day apart from a bath each one day, ran both the dishwasher and washer once per day and went to the loo 6 times each per day you'd have a max usage of 16000 litres or 16cu metres per month

I'd say you're reading the meter wrongly(or it's displaying wrongly) or something has a big leak

loopy_lass

i had a water meter installed in council property for free ... didnt even ask the council... ::) had it for 5 yrs now.

Theres only 2 of us, but i have washing machine on 3 times a day, and showers/baths, also dishwasher on everyday (teenage daughter!!!!)...

dead cheap... no problems at all, can recommend with no worries.

hope this helps

loops

naughty

Just looking into changing to metered. Would be looking at a saving of ~£150 per year as I live alone. However, concerned that selling the house (3 bedroomed) in the future may be more problematic if selling with a meter fitted. Anyone had problems selling their house if a meter has been fitted?

oranabana

We have jut requested to have a meter installed (Thames Water). When we asked for it in Dec, they said it will take upto 2 weeks for the application to eb sent out. Then another 3 months before the meter is installed (!). This seems rather long... (considering we here on a 6 month shorthold tennancy agreement).

Anyhow, for the two of us (no baths [boiler is not up to the job], no washing machine, no dishwasher, 10 showers a week, ocassional garden watering) we ought be saving over the GBP 17.00 we paying each month right now.. right!

So now, that they have finally sent the application form (took a second call go get it), we are asked as to where the main water !!!!!! (tap) is located. It also says that we are responsible for any (if required) dismantling of kitchen units. etc to get access to the main !!!!!!.

So far we found two taps. One above the storage heater - turnign it off results in the bathroom water supply being cut, but does not stop the kitchen supply. Then there is another one, which is stuck (painted over by the landlord), which may cut all supplies to the flat.

What do we put on the applcation form?! Do we just mention the one near the storage heater and let the water man decide, or do we tell them there may be two...?!

We don't want to delay the process of moving to a metered supply any further than it is already.

Any comments much appriciated.
Ta

derrick

You need the one where it enters the property,the one above your "storage heater" (cylinder) is the supply to your hot water cylinder and I would be surprised if it cut off your cold water to the bathroom,unless your bathroom cold water is supplied from the same tank as your hot water,which can happen. If the other tap is siezed it will need freeing,it is usually fitted under the sink,but could be elsewhere

Lychee

bordercars wrote:

so have looked at ways to economise and iit seems the way to go is collecting rainwater.one of many sites to look at is
http://www.ecocentre.org.uk/rainwater-recycling.html
they reckon a 1/3 saving could be made by using rainwater for toilet and washing machine, have also had it suggested that by using via the washing machine i will use less detergent to.
by using rain you also save on the sewerage charge which even though is 90% of water in is in fact still dearer per litre out.

hi

Just wondering how/where does one get a rain water butt (or other rain water recycling methods) and start using it? I'm not in Wales either so not sure if the website you have give (above) will be of any help to me.


Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance!

scattycat_3

Lychee, you can get a water butt and drainpipe adapter from Wikes and I presume other DIY outlets.