leak - council property

leedslass1_2

Hi

I am feeling really stressed at the min

Since Wednesday, water has been leaking into my cistern, with the overflow going into the toilet bowl. Its a constant flow of water.

I am on a water meter, and its making me feel ill the amount its clocking up

I contacted the council on Thursday when I realised it was an ongoing problem (I live in flats so wondered if it was a neighbour who was causing it) They said unless it was 'life or death' they couldnt come out till Mon pm at the earliest.

I then contacted Yorkshire Water who Im with, and told them. They said when it has been repaired, to give them a reading, then in 2 weeks time, another reading.

Then the difference between my usual readings and whilst the leak was happening will be compared. The lady I spoke to recognised it was not my fault as did the council.

The lady at Y Water said that possibly I might get a leakage allowance but its not definite.

I am on budget payments, am always up to date since I started with them well over 2 or 3 years ago.

Im really worrying that I will be lumbered with the cost when both the council and Y Water recognise its not my fault.

Anyone any experience/thoughts on this who have been in a council property?

Thanks

macman

It's not 'life or death' unless it's flooding your property.
Why don't you just isolate the WC supply (if a stop valve is fitted), or if not then just tie up the ballc*ck so that it can't refill? Flush the WC with a bucket as necessary.
Have you actually checked to see if the ballc*ck is just sticking and not rising up fully to the horizontal? If so a bit of oil or 'waggling' might do the trick.
Even with a steady flow into the pan you are not talking about a huge amount of water used in 5 days.

victor2

For now, is there a valve in the pipe going to the cistern where you can turn the water off? Could look something like this, where you need a screwdriver to turn it:

Older pipes may not have them fitted though.

Worth a look in the cistern itself as well, in case it may be something simple preventing the cistern valve shutting off. If it's nothing obvious, probably better to leave it until somebody comes to repair it though.
Bit inconvenient to turn all the water off in the flat, but that may be the only other way to stop it.

leedslass1_2

Hi guys

thanks for your quick replies

If i dont get chance to answer any further posts, it because I havnt got a computer at home so using the one in the library, but will acknowledge them when I next log in.

I have looked in the cistern but cannot find any obvious signs.

The ballcock is attached to a plastic 'reach' (not sure of proper works) which then goes through to the pipe leading out of the toilet cistern.

Being council, its plastic, and very out-dated I should think.

cannot isolate the WC supply as no stop !!!! visible, and the water is leaking out of the connection between the end post to the ballcock and the plastic connection leading out of the cistern.

Theres no problem with the ballcock sticking.

Re: water usage - I live on my own, have no washing machine, no kids, and am very economical in my water usage. Usuallly I clock up 2 units between bills, and already from Weds to Thurs I had clocked up two. Thurs when I phoned Y Water it was 117, now its 126 and rising, so for me its a bit scary!

Appreciate your responses, hope my descriptions above make sense!

macman

Are you saying that it's flowing out of the cistern via the cistern overflow pipe (i.e. to outside or wherever it's routed)? Or into the WC pan, because the valve won't close properly?
In these cases posting a pic is the best option.
Your other alternative is to turn off the main stopc*ck. If you have stored hot and cold water tanks then you will still have those supplies.
PS: 2cu m between bills (every 3 or 6 months-what is your billing cycle?) is unfeasibly low. Even a low user typically uses 45 cu m pa. Are you seriously saying that your consumption is less than a tenth of that?

mart.vader

OP - Is the leak from here ?
If so read this thread >

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4688949

leedslass1_2

Hi

First of all, many thanks to all of you who responded to my post, as I said I havn't a computer of my own, so had to wait to access the library one.

The plumber came yesterday, after a very stressful weekend with the constant running water, and the knowledge it was sending my water meter into overdrive

The first thing he did was, with the pipe going into the cistern at the side where the flush lever is, he turned a screw in that and immediately the water stopped!! I nearly cried with the relief and frustration that something so simple could have stopped the deluge of water I'd put up with since Wednesday. I soooo wish I had known that the other week!! When I had located the stopc**k which is under the sink, next to the water meter, and found I couldnt budge it, I thought that was that.

I asked him if those at the council could have told me this, he said they wouldnt, but its something they'd like them to know, because its such a simple thing, which is not a danger to anyone else and which the householder could do in such circumstances.

The next thing he did was clean out the plastic connections to the ballc**k which had some muck in them. Then he tightened up other screw connections but still wasnt brilliant.

So he went off and fitted a new ballc**k with brass fittings, which even to me seems a lot more logical than plastic.

I then rang Yorkshire Water, gave them a new reading of 133, from 117 which it was last Wednesday, and have to give another reading in a weeks time which should indicate normal usage again.

macman - yep with regard to my readings they have only ever been 2 or 3 cm at the most. My last bill was June, my next is due end of Sept. As I say, I live on my own, have no washer, dishwasher, shower, dont have full baths, and generally am very economical with water. I wasnt aware quite how economical I had been to be honest, until seeing what you had put as average consumption. I never leave taps running, try to use water say that Ive done washing up in to clean outside window ledges or such, and generally just dont waste any.

So now I give my next reading next week, and then wait and see whether I will be able to claim a leakage allowance.

So I thought I would update you, and thank you again for your posts

p.s. it was flowing into the toilet pan (forgot to mention!)

victor2

Glad you've got it sorted.
If you can't turn the water off at the main stopcock, you should get the council to sort that too, as not everything can be isolated locally, like the cistern.
The last thing you want is a water leak somewhere with the potential to do serious damage and no way to stop the flow of water.

leedslass1_2

thanks for that victor2 - good thinking!

Appreciate the information - Im not well up on these sort of things and havn't anyone really to ask.

macman

Get the stopc*ck freed off as a priority. if you have a burst pipe elsewhere on the system, you won't be able to turn the water off until the damage is done.
Luckily the WC already had an isolator fitted.