Exceptionally high water bill (South West Water)

nickcc

matelodave wrote: »

That sounds like a lot. Based on Cardews info that looks like about 120cum a year, nearly as much as an average three person household.. Do you read your meter regularly to check what you are using and to ensure that you don't have any leaks.
I'm sure you could save a bit if you monitored what you use and identified when it was being used. Try only using the washing machine & dishwasher with full loads. We run our dishwasher every other day and the washing machine 5-6 times every fortnight with full loads. We only manage to use about 75cum a year (less than 1.5cu.m a week) and we wash our cars, caravan and have an automatic garden watering system. We also flush the loo every time it's used - no mellow yellow for us. We are at home all day so we drink numerous cups of coffee so the loo gets used quite often.

We don't have a bath, just a shower and it's used daily. Check your shower flow rate - you can get a decent shower at about 5-6 litres/min (ie it should take about 2 mins to fill a 10l bucket) much more than that then a flow restrictor would help. A five minute shower at 5lpm uses 25 litres whereas a ten minute shower at 10lpm uses 100. You'll be just as clean with a shorter shower and it will save energy as well.

We've been here now for about 5 years and carried out the usual meter checks especially when going off on our hols, never found any leaks after the Meter. We've now signed up for the leak insurance where Meter to house stop tap is covered at £12 for the first year so seems a good buy. Don't think we'll be renewing next year when the price quadrapules.

Cardew

phsci wrote: »

Cardew: OFWAT's XLS spreadsheet is available at https://www.ofwat.gov.uk/consumeriss...latestchanges/ "average metered and unmetered bills". I'm afraid that they haven't explained the methodology used to produce these figures; I do hope that they specify it to the companies when they are asked to make their retuturns to ensure we are seeing apples compared with other apples. Your point about holiday cottages seems a very plausible explanation since presumably they do not enjoy 100% occupancy year-round. In any event, your analysis produces figures which seem more in line with people's reported experiences and, of course, less favourable to South West Water. Disgraceful!!

Hi,
Probably could have worded it better, but I was aware of that ofwat table and indeed it was from there I got the Wessex Water figure of £410 quoted in my last post. It is how those figures were reached I cannot understand.


As you say Ofwat haven't explained the methodology in getting those figures.


Also I have looked up about a dozen sources(water companies and Government Agencies - including Ofwat) and all say that metered customers use around 55 cubic metres a year - each


So how SW Water reach a figure of 195 cubic meters for a 5 person household(less than 40 cubic metres per person) is a mystery.


Even more of a mystery is how SW water can give an average cost of £411 with water/sewerage costing £6.66 and £75 standing charges. Their average 1 occupier household apparently uses 55 cubic metres a year; so that would cost £441.

madbird73

I had a meter put in last April after doing several usage calculations and speaking to a few advisors from SWW. I have had nothing but trouble! They wanted me to pay £90 pounds a month saying I had used that much water!! I had to call a plumber out from the council (our landlord) to check for leaks they said no leak, then SWW person came out..no leaks!? Then I got really annoyed and called them again and they begrudgingly said they would file a high usage file and sent out a 'leak man' who did several tests, meter reading etc and still say our consumption is too high and that I have to read the meter before and after I use the washing machine and have a shower!? It is just myself and my husband living here with a washing machine used 3-4 times a week and we both have showers every day with the occasional bath thrown in! I am at my wits end with it all and now £300 debt!?...going to ring OFWAT tomorrow!

Cardew

madbird73 wrote: »

I had a meter put in last April after doing several usage calculations and speaking to a few advisors from SWW. I have had nothing but trouble! They wanted me to pay £90 pounds a month saying I had used that much water!! I had to call a plumber out from the council (our landlord) to check for leaks they said no leak, then SWW person came out..no leaks!? Then I got really annoyed and called them again and they begrudgingly said they would file a high usage file and sent out a 'leak man' who did several tests, meter reading etc and still say our consumption is too high and that I have to read the meter before and after I use the washing machine and have a shower!? It is just myself and my husband living here with a washing machine used 3-4 times a week and we both have showers every day with the occasional bath thrown in! I am at my wits end with it all and now £300 debt!?...going to ring OFWAT tomorrow!

Welcome to the forum.


Firstly, if you requested a meter, you can revert to charges based on your Rateable Value if you do so within 12 months.


To quote a figure of £90 a month doesn't indicate your consumption.


That £90 could include paying off arrears that hade built up(the £300?) or sometimes they don't take 12 monthly payments in a year.


How much water, in cubic metres, have you used since last April when the meter was installed? The average for a couple should be in the region of 110 cubic metres pa.