Water Bill Shocker

cifpower

2 adults in our a house with a child who stays at least every other weekend for 3 days, a dog to be washed along with a car. Showers every day, one or two baths a week and up to 5 loads of washing a week. My bill last month showed our average daily use was 0.12 cubic meters. I must say I was pleasently surprised how low the bill was - £101.27 for just over 6 months

Orpheo

cifpower wrote: »

2 adults in our a house with a child who stays at least every other weekend for 3 days, a dog to be washed along with a car. Showers every day, one or two baths a week and up to 5 loads of washing a week. My bill last month showed our average daily use was 0.12 cubic meters. I must say I was pleasently surprised how low the bill was - £101.27 for just over 6 months

That's good.

I've had a conversation with the water co this morning and, as far as I can see, we seem to be doing most things OK. I asked for a monthly breakdown over the year and the amount of water used seems to have been fairly consistent, there are no obvious anomalies. I took them to task over failing to inform us that we were using as-near-as-damnit 50% more than we were paying for in spite of the fact that they have had regular readings. It is in their own interests to do this, they are lucky that we can pay the shortfall, some families would find it difficult and possibly become a bad debt.

We need to reduce the number of loads of washing we do and put our daughter up for adoption. We'll let her visit every other weekend.

Gothicfairy

Orpheo wrote: »

I took them to task over failing to inform us that we were using as-near-as-damnit 50% more than we were paying for in spite of the fact that they have had regular readings. It is in their own interests to do this, they are lucky that we can pay the shortfall, some families would find it difficult and possibly become a bad debt.

Problem is, they don't have to inform you. It is not their job. They send out bills and statements for direct debits, it is down to the customer to put all that info together and work out if the payment plan will cover the usage.
Accounts are hardly ever looked at by a person and the computer only sets payment plans every 11 months so in real terms it can be months and months before anything (computer or person) even looks at your account let alone does anything with it.
The meter readings are added by handheld computer and that generates a bill. It is only if that bill kicks out (ie far to high and yours is not within that region or an over read ) or the customer calls that a live person checks things.
I am afraid that it is very much down to the customer as the water company really doesn't care if someone pays their bill in one go or by payment plan. They don't really care if people can't afford to pay it all or if they have to go to court etc as their profit is fixed for 5 years either way.

oldtractor

water saving tips include putting an air filled bag in the cystern so less water is used each flush. collecting rainwater to water thegarden with. collecting rainwater ,carry to toilet in a bucket and use this to flush the toilet with. bath and shower less often,wash clothes less often and then on a short programme.

deanos

Ken68 wrote: »

2....Buy shares in Anglian water.

you cant its a private company

Ken68

deanos wrote: »

you cant its a private company

In which case buy shares in any water company.
Better still , set up your own enterprise, the product is free. Just the cost of a few butts and buckets or an automatic system.

Gothicfairy

Ken68 wrote: »

In which case buy shares in any water company.
Better still , set up your own enterprise, the product is free. Just the cost of a few butts and buckets or an automatic system.

I am not sure about not being able to buy shares as STW was floated on the market I think and you can get their shares , I got some as part of a work package (didn't work for them but it was a bonus..only got £12.44's worth though...lol)

As for the product being free..not really as A : it has to be cleaned and treated which is not free and B : It seems to not rain enough in this country to keep everyone in water at the turn of a tap (never thought I would be saying it does not rain enough here)

Ken68

Doubt you need to clean and treat rainwater for the toilet, other than rough mesh screening.
And that is where bought water is most used. And tap into the laundry outflow pipe.
Plus a bowl for dish washing and similar for personal washing/shaving.

Gothicfairy

True, you don't need clean water to flush your toilet but it helps to keep drinking / cooking water clean.

Where would the water for personal washing / shaving / cooking come from though ? there has been no heavy rain ( here at least) for months.

I would also think that with things like hippo bags and toilet bricks most water is now used for showering / bathing and laundry, Laundry is less a problem using rain water but I wouldn't be sure about showering in it untreated full time.
The stuff that use to end up in my water butt could look pretty foul some days

Sweet_Pea_2

Sorry don't have any suggestions, but wanted to post my sympathies. We have a meter and pay every six months, the last bill was £133, I have had a look through previous bills and the highest I can find is £180. Most of the bills the meter has actually been read, as they do seem to come out quite often. Received the bill last week and was horrified to find it was £385!!:eek: Only £250 more than I had budgetted for, and the meter had been read at the start and at the end. I usually put by £35 per month, I have now paid the bill in full and set up a direct debit - £81 per month!

I can't think of many ways to cut back really, the only excess is DD1 who (used to!) spend ages in the shower - she has also like your daughter had a rocket, (OH is virtually standing outside bathroom door with a stopwatch now) have come to the conclusion that with the rising cost of everything soon we will be starving, freezing and smelly! Luckily DD2 manages to shower in record time. OH thinks it's flushing the loo too often that does it, (judging by the amount of loo roll we get through - I think it will be 3 sheets only in future, and one flush per day) short of ordering everyone to only use the loo at school/work, what more can you do?:rotfl:

(I was joking by the way, it's a case of having to laugh or else I'll cry)