Cost of running a hose, per hour?

eliselady

I have found myself in an awkward situation. We had some work done on our house and whilst I was out, the builders asked the neighbours if they could use their outdoor tap. They turned tap and hose on and forgot to switch it off and left it running for 5 hours!

My neighbour is rightfully cross and is on a water meter. I want to compensate her, but am not sure how much 5 hours of hose pipe water will cost. Any ideas?

Very grateful for any suggestions

E

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

It would depend on the water meter i suppose? (sorry - dont have a water meter myself). Can you not ring the local water board - they might know a bit better. How does the neighbour know it was 5 hours? and where did all the water go?!

p.s - its nice you want to compensate but surely the builder should?

brogusblue

The average hosepipe can use around 15 litres a minute, as much as 1000 litres an hour..

I don't have a meter myself, Just asked my sister who has she says roughly costs her a couple of quid for a week thats roughly 15 mins each day for a week so around 1 1/2 - 2 hours use..

alleycat`

It would depend on how "on" they'd left the hose.

If it was running at a reasonable rate then according to southwest water:-

"Did you know that a hose running for an hour can use the same amount of water that a family of four uses in a week?"

--

If you believe that then it's £40 (when you include the fact they do you for sewerage as well).
If you go with 1000 litres (approx 1 cubic meter) every 15 minutes that is about £5 an hour + sewerage.
This again works out as anything up to £40-£45 (at about £1.15 a cubic meter + £1.35 sewerage for same). .

It really depends on how far the tap was turned on.
I doubt it was gushing at that rate and nobody noticed. 20,000 litres of water is a bit mind boggling to just have peeing about the place.

But all of the above is just a guess.

The only way you'd really know is compare last quarters bill with the bill that has this usage on and pay the difference?

Even then you'd be guessing that nothing else had changed in the persons circumstances (e.g. them watering the garden due to lack of rain).

A bottle of something nice and some flowers would be a reasonable alternative as i doubt it'll be a much as the figures suggest.

eliselady

Thank you all very much!

I know really it is down to the builder, but I thought I would try and compensate them and then negotiate with him separately. They are really lovely and good neighbours can be rare!

I dont know where all the water went as havent spoken to the neighbour since she telephoned me and the builder hasnt turned up today!

freezspirit

My brother is on a water meter and has a water softener on continuously his bill is around £40 per a month

forgotmyname

£30 - £40 should help calm them down.

Mine works out at £6 a week on our water meter.

I would do the same & pass on the bill to the builder after. Neighbour was being
helpful letting them use his water even though he was on a meter.

Pass them the money and say you worked it out to £30 so heres £40 just in case or if
that is not enough let me know.

Now if it was the neighbour on my other side i would have said here is the builders number.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

I'd second the bottle of plonk and some flowers. It really isnt down to you to compensate. If they are nice neighbours like you mention, they would know this

Flyboy152

eliselady wrote: »

I have found myself in an awkward situation. We had some work done on our house and whilst I was out, the builders asked the neighbours if they could use their outdoor tap. They turned tap and hose on and forgot to switch it off and left it running for 5 hours!

My neighbour is rightfully cross and is on a water meter. I want to compensate her, but am not sure how much 5 hours of hose pipe water will cost. Any ideas?

Very grateful for any suggestions

E

It all depends on what volume the tap produces and how much the tap was open. For example, if the tap was only open half way, then you will have to calculate on that basis. Ask your neighbour what their usual water usage is and see how much extra the have used at the end of the month/quarter etc.

J_J_Carter

>Any ideas?<

5 hrs = 300 mins, assume 10lt/min (about time taken to fill a standard watering can from hose) = 3000 lt = 3cubic m

Assume a tariff of £1 for supply and £1 for sewerage per cubic m = £2 * 3 = £6

If they are on a lower tariff then a £ fiver, if they're on a lo-use (ha!) tariff with no standing-charge then a £ tenner tops.

>I dont know where all the water went <

To not notice that amount of water, they probably had the hose poked into a drain for the gutter

Flyboy152

J_J_Carter wrote: »

>Any ideas?<

5 hrs = 300 mins, assume 10lt/min (about time taken to fill a standard watering can from hose) = 3000 lt = 3cubic m

Assume a tariff of £1 for supply and £1 for sewerage per cubic m = £2 * 3 = £6

If they are on a lower tariff then a £ fiver, if they're on a lo-use (ha!) tariff with no standing-charge then a £ tenner tops.

>I dont know where all the water went <

To not notice that amount of water, they probably had the hose poked into a drain for the gutter

This all very much depends on how opwn the tap was and what the output pressure the mains is on.