Cheaper Water Bills Article Discussion

stevemc1978

ShowerSmarts
I recently ordered a free ShowerSmart via eaga’s website (www.eaga.com), what a fantatsic free offer – The water pressure has stayed the same yet I am only using half the water amount – WOW!!

If you just log on and follow the instructions it's completely free to certain people if you qualify and i think even if you dont qualify you could buy the product for next to nothing(under a pound).

It could save you up to 12k litres of water a year which it says could equate to about £20 saving on your water bill and approx £20 saving on your gas bill. It will also help you in doing your part for the environment by reducing up to a tonne on your C02 emmissions.

Only draw back to this great freebie is that it doesn't work on electric showers.

Have a look!!! it's free and a great idea to save money and also help you do your bit for the environment at the same time.

I hope that this helps some of you save some money out!!!!

Cardew

buxtonrabbitgreen wrote: »

I just had my water bill and was chuntering away to myself as it has gone up £7 per month. However it must be the cheapest here at £187 per year. I checked with uswich and to have a metre it would cost £550 per year. So I will stop moaning to myself and keep it as it is. When I moved into this house 20 years ago the rateable value was £160 so perhaps that is why it is comparitively cheap. Severn Trent.

Well if you are with Severn trent and you do have a Rateable value of £160, as said above you will be paying about £320-£350 for Water and sewerage.

There are several charging zones in Severn trent area so your prices might not be exactly the same as jeferey above - but they will be in that region.

Either your £160 RV is incorrect(you can check on the bill) or you are not paying sewerage - do you have a septic tank?

Some areas in Severn Trent(on the boundary of the region) pay sewerage to another company.

geejaybee

I am in the Dwr Cymru area and my 2009/10 unmetered bill will be £577. All the metered estimates come to less than £350 . As there are only 2 of us I am going to get a meter trial and see how it pans out for the next year.
I am a little confused by the sewerage charges in the metered scheme. Do the estimates on the comparison include sewerage?. Also after reading the tips I was intent on saving much of the water we do use for reuse outside the home e.g garden, car wash etc, but read that the Water company charges sewerage/extraction charges at 95% of the water that is brought into the house so whats the point or is there a way around that?

Cardew

geejaybee wrote: »

I am in the Dwr Cymru area and my 2009/10 unmetered bill will be £577. All the metered estimates come to less than £350 . As there are only 2 of us I am going to get a meter trial and see how it pans out for the next year.
I am a little confused by the sewerage charges in the metered scheme. Do the estimates on the comparison include sewerage?. Also after reading the tips I was intent on saving much of the water we do use for reuse outside the home e.g garden, car wash etc, but read that the Water company charges sewerage/extraction charges at 95% of the water that is brought into the house so whats the point or is there a way around that?

Look on the website and see what the total charges(water, sewerage and standing charges) are for 120 cubic metres pa(the average for a couple)

If you save water by re-using 'grey water' you are doing just that -saving water - that you don't have to pay for, or for the sewerage of that water.

Bear in mind that you will need to re-use 1000 liters of grey water to save a couple of pounds! - that is a lot of water!

whybee_2

Hi

This is my first post so i hope ive got it right
I have just moved into a flat which has a water meter fitted. I rang Severn Trent to set up a new account and gave them the water meter reading from the date i moved in and was told to expect a bill in a few weeks.
I have now received a bill titled 'water services bill 2009-2010' for 'unmeasured surface water' which is made up of two payments, one in April & one in October for a total of £111.97.
I have only ever lived in properties with water meters so i don't really know what it all means. The bill mentions a rateable value of £266 and pence per rateable value of 37.89.
Two questions
The total bill of £111.97 is considerably cheaper than my water bills from my previous smaller flat which was on a meter. Do i have to remind Severn Trent that my new flat has a water meter or can i just pay the bill they have sent.

Also i am not sure whats meant by 'unmeasured surface water'. Is this a normal water bill or is it to do with something different and can i expect to receive an additional normal water bill. All my previous bill from Severn Trent have been based on water meter readings so i am a bit confused.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

iceman197258

I live in a rented council house in Glasgow area in Scotland....as i have just lost my job i informed the council who now pay my rent....i recieved a "Council Tax Bill" for the year 2009 / 2010....i am still obliged to pay Scottish Water £180.59 for this period....
is there any way i can have a water meter fitted in a council propertyand would it be worthwhile as i live alone.......all the posts seem to focus mainly on England and Wales which leaves me none the wiser to my own situation.....

Any help is much aprecciated.
Thanks in advance folks...

FayeWilson

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how I go about getting a water meter fitted in a ground floor flat, and what sort of cost it would be to have it installed?

Faye

Cardew

FayeWilson wrote: »

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how I go about getting a water meter fitted in a ground floor flat, and what sort of cost it would be to have it installed?

Faye

Your water company must fit them for nothing/free/zilch.

If for any reason a meter can't be fitted then you will be offered an assessed charge which is the average charge.

If the water meter turns out to be more expensive(unlikely) you have 12 months to change back to your original method of paying.

Cardew

whybee wrote: »

Hi

This is my first post so i hope ive got it right
I have just moved into a flat which has a water meter fitted. I rang Severn Trent to set up a new account and gave them the water meter reading from the date i moved in and was told to expect a bill in a few weeks.
I have now received a bill titled 'water services bill 2009-2010' for 'unmeasured surface water' which is made up of two payments, one in April & one in October for a total of £111.97.
I have only ever lived in properties with water meters so i don't really know what it all means. The bill mentions a rateable value of £266 and pence per rateable value of 37.89.
Two questions
The total bill of £111.97 is considerably cheaper than my water bills from my previous smaller flat which was on a meter. Do i have to remind Severn Trent that my new flat has a water meter or can i just pay the bill they have sent.

Also i am not sure whats meant by 'unmeasured surface water'. Is this a normal water bill or is it to do with something different and can i expect to receive an additional normal water bill. All my previous bill from Severn Trent have been based on water meter readings so i am a bit confused.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

Welcome to the forum

Unmeasured surface water charge is for rainwater that enters the sewer, it is totally different to your normal water and sewerage charge.

It is probable in a flat that you shouldn't be paying this charge at all.

This is covered in this forum - search for surface water drainage.

surfer_chicky

Hi Guys

I have a meter it was fitted when we moved in, but we have the unmetered bills still. Anyhow I have just got this years bill in at £276 ish for the year.
Now I live in 3 bed terrace, only 2 of us, out all day during the week.

I did the USwitch thingy, wasn't lieing proabaly over over exaggerated are usage and it said Average thats it.

So do you reckon i would save switching to metered water?