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water meters good or bad,plus up to date comments regarding water.
BOB 2
Posted: 19 December 2014 22:36:39(UTC)

Joined: 10/08/2012(UTC)
Posts: 709

Yes GiltEdgedInvestor every water usher should be fitted with a water meter across the country
but they know thousands will complain after getting there water metered new bills ,and they don't
want to rock the boat ,as did Thatcher with the poll tax stunt, so there slipping it in slowly area at a time it mite take until 2020 or even longer before most domestic ushers are fitted with a water meter. this is my Thierry, and as you stated every household should have the right to
purchase there water from the water supply company that gives them the best deal , as electricity and gas ,in the new year i mite submit a new petition to the Government stating domestic water metered customers should have the right to purchase water from the company of there choice
and that water/sewage/standing charges should be the same across the country,to stop this totally unfair charging system in place at the moment,
If this was implemented by the Government, most households would not mind being connected to a water meter, water is water from the north or the south west its all the same so why are all water companies charging different rates and conditions,
BOB 2
Posted: 25 December 2014 11:42:04(UTC)

Joined: 10/08/2012(UTC)
Posts: 709

Today 25/12/14 happy Christmas and new year to you all.
I have E.mailed the Consumer Council for Water and requested a breakdown of the average UK
domestic combined water bill that now stands at £393.00 into two categories 1. for domestic rateable value combined customers, and 2. for combined domestic customers fitted with a water meter, so we can see who is paying what for water/sewage and if there is a great difference in the averages .awaiting there reply.
I also stated the stated ,to make the system fare ,1. everybody should be fitted with a water meter by say 2020 ,and customers should have the rite to pick the water supply company of their choice,as electricity, gas ,telephones,
I also stated the totally unfairness of the system in place at the moment ,whereby a large family of a unlimited number of people can live in a house with a rateable value and use a unlimited amount of water for a fixed price set by the rateable value of the house, and the family a few yards away living in a new house, stuck on a water meter paying for every drop of water they use , and paying a lot more , some as much as £1500.00 for combined bill /water and sewage.
If the two averages are almost the sane then my assumption is wrong but as i suspect if we ever see the two averages you mite see the bulk is paid by water metered customers
that are not only getting the worst deal ,but also paying a lot more for their combined water bills.
I also stated that the different charges for water,sewage,standing charges across the country are all so different , waters water north south why do people in the south west have to pay a considerable amount more than other areas ,this is where the average should come into force
A AVERAGE WATER CHARGE AND SEWAGE CHARGE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AND CONDITIONS SHOULD BE ALMOST THE SAME FROM ONE CO. TO ANOTHER.
Alan Selwood
Posted: 25 December 2014 13:33:24(UTC)

Joined: 17/12/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,379

As this thread has become extremely long, may I suggest that for 2015 we replace new posts in it by ones in a new thread, which might be entitled 'Son of Water Meters' (in homage to the film 'Son of Paleface' for lovers of Bob Hope films) or 'Water Meters Fight Back' for those who prefer films 25-30 years newer by George Lucas)?
BOB 2
Posted: 26 December 2014 00:06:25(UTC)

Joined: 10/08/2012(UTC)
Posts: 709

OR EVEN

WATER METER,IS IT CHEAPER
WATER METER, THE £1 EATER
WATER METER,COULD BE CHEAPER
WATER METER, YOU PAY FOR EVERY LITRE
WATER METER, FOR ONE IT'S CHEAPER
WATER METER, IT'S NOT CHEAPER
WATER METER, AH NO, IT MEANS BIG BILLS RITA
WATER METER, 1000 LITRE =1 CUBIC METRE
WATER METER,THE HIDDEN MONEY EATER
WATER METER ,TURNS ,SO FAST, IT NEVER USE TO COST US A FORTUNE IN THE PAST.
WATER METER,FITTED FOR ALL,A FAIRER SYSTEM FOR LARGE FAMILY'S AND SMALL.
WATER METER,IS COSTING US A FORTUNE AND THE CHAP DOWN THE ROAD IS LAUGHING AT OUR MISFORTUNE,
WATER METER'S, I HATE THE BLOODY THINGS,OUR BILLS BEFORE IT WAS FITTED
WERE ACCEPTABLE TO OUR MEANS.
WATER METERS , A WATER COMPANY'S DELIGHT THEY RAISE OUR PROFITS TO A DIZZY HIGHT,
BOB 2
Posted: 27 December 2014 11:06:00(UTC)

Joined: 10/08/2012(UTC)
Posts: 709

RE THE CONSUMER COUNCIL FOR WATER, INFORMATION.SHEETS
1.

What are customers' most common concerns about water meters?

Published 21/06/2010 10.47 AM | Updated 01/10/2012 12.12 PM
What are customers' most common concerns about water meters?


The dirty dozen – Customers’ most common concerns about water meters.

1. Can a water company force me to have a water meter installed?
Any water company can install a meter when a property is sold or a tenant moves out. Several companies operate these “change of occupier” schemes. Water companies in areas of serious water stress are able to propose a more widespread/universal installation of water meters as a way to manage the demand for water. If agreed by the Environment Agency and Ofwat unmeasured customers are legally required to have a meter. At present only Southern Water and Affinity South East have universal metering programmes in place.

2. Will I pay more on metered charges?
Some customers could pay more if they switch to metered charges, others could pay less. It depends on how much water you use. You can find out how much you’d likely pay on metered charges by using our water meter calculator.

3. Is there help if I can’t afford metered charges?
If you have a water bill that you think you may struggle to pay, contact your company. Most can offer more flexible payment plans, and many have set up trusts or other schemes to help eligible customers clear some outstanding debt. If you are on income related benefits you may also be eligible for WaterSure, which limits how much a customer can be charged if they have a meter. Click here to find out more.

4. Can I have a meter removed, or switch back to unmetered charges?
Once a meter is installed at a property, the water company will not remove it. If you asked to have the meter installed under the meter option scheme you can switch back to rateable value based charges within the first 12 months of having the meter if you’re unhappy with the change, as long as your water company is not one of the two in a process of systematically installing water meters (Affinity Water Southeast and Southern Water).

5. What happens if my meter breaks, or isn’t working properly?
If you think that there might be something wrong with the water meter at your property you can ask the company to arrange for the meter to be tested, however if the results show the meter to be working within prescribed limits you will be liable for the cost of the testing. It is the water company’s responsibility to fix or replace the meter if something goes wrong.

6. What happens if I have a water meter and I have a leak on my property?
Customers are responsible for any necessary repairs to the water supply pipes in their gardens and homes, whether or not they have a water meter. If a leak is found on the property which causes a higher bill than normal, customers with a water meter have the right to a leakage allowance, meaning that the water company will not charge for the water lost through the leak. Many water companies have programmes to help detect and fix leaks on private supply pipes, so any customer who suspects a leak on their property should contact their water company as soon as possible.

7. Will a meter affect my ability to sell my home?
Our experience to date has been that when people think about moving house their focus is more on finding a property that fits their desired location and price. While other factors, such as schools, council tax bands, local amenities, etc, factor into their decision to buy a property, we have not had customers call us to complain that they could not sell their home because it had a water meter installed.

8. What control do I have over where the meter is fitted, and the type of meter I get?
The water company technically own the water meter and will normally choose which type of meter you receive. They will also suggest the best location for the meter. It must be fitted at a point where it will register all the water used at your property and this is usually outside your property in the footpath or inside your property under the kitchen sink. If you would like the meter to be fitted elsewhere some companies may agree on the basis that you pay the associated costs.

9. How often will the company read my meter, and how often can I expect to get a bill?
Ofwat, the industry regulator, expects companies to provide a bill based on an actual meter reading once in every financial year. Some companies exceed this by reading meters more frequently (like every six months). Your water company can tell you how often they aim to read your meter. You can submit your own meter reading to your company if you are unhappy with an estimated bill. If you would like to pay your water bills in smaller, more frequent payments, contact your water company.

10. What happens if a water company can’t fit a meter to my property?
If your water company says that it can not fit a meter to your property, it should explain why it is impractical or too expensive to do so. It should offer you the option to switch to what is called an assessed charge, which more closely reflects likely water use. Some companies base it on number of bedrooms in the properties and others on the number of people living at the property. It may, in some circumstances, be cheaper to remain on rateable value-based charging rather than switch to an assessed charge. Find out more by contacting your water company.

11. Aren’t more meters just a way for water companies to make more money?
Water prices are decided by the industry regulator, Ofwat, every five years based on the likely cost of the work each water company will need to carry out over that period. Water companies can not charge customers more than the cap Ofwat places on prices. While some customers would be likely to see their bills rise as a result of switching to a metered charges, others water bills would likely reduce. Costs would be distributed differently among customers, but there would not be an affect on the water company’s overall income.

bobs comment. above should read , While most customers would see their bills rise a result
of switching to a metered charges,

12. Who is calling for more water meters and why?
As water resources in the UK are becoming more and more stretched, especially in the South East of England, a number of government bodies have called for more household customers to have water meters installed to both help control the demand for water, and to help water companies more easily spot leaks.

Defra’s water strategy calls for near universal metering by 2030. Click here for link

The Environment Agency has called for - Metering to be accelerated where it is most needed. In areas that are seriously water-stressed, companies should use their ability to meter on compulsory basis so that the majority of homes in seriously water-stressed areas are metered by 2015. They also recognise that some companies may not be able to achieve full metering until 2020. Click here for link


Think a water meter might be for you?
Check to see how much you might pay on metered charges using our Water Meter Calculator. If you think you’d be likely to save by making the switch, contact your water company.

Still have questions?
For other practical advice about water meters, and to have your questions answered, here.





2.
Can you give me some general information about water meters?

Published 06/05/2009 03.25 PM | Updated 17/11/2011 12.45 PM
Can you give me some general information about water meters?


Domestic customers can request a water meter to be fitted free of charge unless the location or pipework makes it impracticable or uneconomic for the company to do so.

Metered bills for water and sewerage charges are based on the amount of water used plus a standing charge which covers fixed costs that are not linked to water usage. Please contact your water company or local CCWater office for full details of metered charges.

Our water meter calculator can provide an estimate of the amount you would be likely to pay with a meter.

Your water company should read the meter at least once a year.

You can also read the meter yourself to check your bills and keep an eye on how much water you are using. This can also help identify any leaks or other problems on your supply at an early stage.

If you want to go back to the unmeasured rateable value charge, you can usually only do so within the first year. If you moved into a property that already has a meter you cannot have the meter removed.

Some people who have a water meter can receive a capped bill if they receive specific benefits or tax credits and cannot avoid using a lot of water because they have three or more dependent children. This also applies if you have a medical condition specified by the Government. Contact your company and ask about its WaterSure tariff for more details.

When a request for a meter has been made and it is found the pipework has to be moved or split to serve your property alone, the company can advise you what needs to be done. Your company may agree to carry out the work but may make charges to do the alterations or ask you to have the work done before it fits a meter.

Sometimes it is just not practical to fit a meter. If the work involved to separate the pipework is impractical or too costly, such as in a tower block where a header tank serves all the occupants, or where there may be communal laundry facilities, the company has the right to refuse to install a meter.

If you cannot have a meter fitted and you are a household customer, your company will offer you an alternative known as an Assessed Charge. This is a fixed annual bill based on what other metered customers pay. Some companies calculate an assessed charge based on the number of occupants, some use the type of property (flat/maisonette, semi-detached or detached), some use the number of bedrooms and some on the average household charge. You will need to compare the assessed charge with your current bill to decide if you will save money. Your water company will be able to give you more information.



3.

What is an assessed charge?

Published 23/11/2007 03.54 PM | Updated 18/11/2011 10.53 AM
What is an assessed charge?


If you are a household customer and have asked your water company to install a meter under the free meter option scheme, and they are unable to do so, they are required to offer you an alternative to the unmeasured charges based on property Rateable Value (RV) you would otherwise have to pay. This is so that you are not unreasonably disadvantaged by not being able to have a meter.

The alternative charge is known as an Assessed Charge and is based on average bills paid by customers who do have meters.

There is a variety of names for this charge, for example:
•Assessed Volume Charge (AVC)
•Assessed Measured Charge (AMC)
•Average Household Charge

or just simply 'Assessed Charge' (AC).

There is no common method used by all companies to work out assessed charges. But they are all based on the charges paid by metered customers. Some companies have a single assessed charge, while others have a range of charges linked, for example, to the number of bedrooms in a property, or to the number of occupants. The figures used by your company are approved by the regulator, Ofwat.

If you can't have a meter you will usually pay the Assessed Charge from the date of the survey. The charge will only apply if it is lower than the unmeasured bill you would otherwise pay.

If you are paying the Assessed Charge you should notify the company if there are any changes which might affect the charge you are paying, for example if the number of occupants changes.

Like normal unmeasured charges, the Assessed Charge is fixed for each charging year (1st April to 31st March) and becomes due in advance on 1st April.

4.
My company will not fit a meter but is offering an assessed charge.

Published 29/05/2009 12.31 PM | Updated 17/11/2011 12.31 PM

My company will not fit a meter but is offering an assessed charge.



If your water company cannot fit a meter to your property, it should explain why it is impractical or too expensive to do so. If you are a domestic customer, it should offer you the option to switch to an assessed charge. Sometimes this is called an assessed volume charge or assessed measured charge.

The assessed charge should more closely approximate the average bill of the company's other metered consumers so you are not unfairly disadvantaged.

Some companies base their assessed charge on number of bedrooms in the properties and others on the number of people living at the property.

It may, in some circumstances, be cheaper to remain on rateable value-based charging rather than switch to an assessed charge.

Details regarding specific charges can be obtained from your company.
5.
How do I complain about my water and/or sewerage company?

Published 25/02/2010 09.13 AM | Updated 11/08/2014 11.05 AM
How do I complain about my water and/or sewerage company?


In the first instance, consumers should contact their water company to resolve matters directly with the company. Your company's contact details are on the back of your bill. Alternatively, click here for links to all companies' websites.

If you have not been able to resolve your issue over the telephone, in our experience consumers can usually do so by writing to their company. Most companies have a two stage procedure for resolving written complaints. Ofwat requires companies to respond within 10 working days of receiving your letter or make a small Guaranteed Standards Scheme (GSS) payment to you if they are late.

Right first time

The Consumer Council for Water helps people in a very real way, every day. Our complaints teams across England and Wales are located to be near the regional water companies and we continually work with companies to get their service to consumers right first time.

If you have followed your company's complaints procedure but remain dissatisfied, you can ask us to look at your complaint. We will tell you how we can take your matter forward and what resolution, if any, you can expect from your company. You can ask us for advice at any stage of a complaint. Our services are free.

Contact us
BOB 2
Posted: 31 December 2014 16:35:45(UTC)

Joined: 10/08/2012(UTC)
Posts: 709

Please read the Consumer Council for Water's response below. Reply to
update your file.

If this issue is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may reopen it
within the next 2 days.

Thank you for contacting the Consumer Council for Water.

Subject

Is the RV v metered system fair? Suggestions for improvements to the current system.


Discussion Thread

CCWater Response Via Email(Catherine Jones) - 29/12/2014 03.57 PM
Dear Mr bob 2
Thank you for your email.
The Consumer Council for Water is the statutory consumer body for the water industry. We are independent of the water companies and Ofwat, the industry financial regulator.
You raise a few points in your email and I will address them in turn.
You are clearly frustrated with the current charging system and feel it is unfair - some people pay according to their usage and others pay a flat-rate RV bill. CCWater supports metering as the fairer basis for charge. Metering is becoming more common in the water industry but RV will remain as a valid basis of charge whilst the transition happens.
You have asked for a breakdown of the average combined bills for RV and for metered customers. Ofwat used to publish the average charge for metered and unmetered households on its website, however, the most recent version of this I can find is for the 2013-14 bills (here (http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/content?id=192dccbd-7145-11e2-86f2-f5a13c2eef0b) ). As you can see, the information on this sheet shows that the average combined bill for unmetered RV households was £417, whilst the average combined bill for metered households was £355. Ofwat may well be able to provide you with the same breakdown for the more recent bills.
Your next point is that families should be able to chose who supplies their water. Competition already exists in the water industry for commercial customers that use more than five mega litres of water a year and competition will be available to all business customers, regardless of how much water they use, by 2017. However, the Government’s Water White Paper, published in 2011, said it did not believe there was a case in the foreseeable future for opening up the household market to competition. CCWater believes that a step-by-step approach to competition is necessary; competition for commercial customers must be working before an introduction to the domestic market is considered.

You suggest a date of 2029 for all households to be connected to a meter. Currently, around 50% of households in England and Wales have water meters. In some areas of England that are deemed as water stressed, regional water companies are fitting meters in all households to make people more aware of their usage. The majority of these companies are expecting to have near universal metering by 2030. However, the cost of buying, fitting and maintaining meters is ultimately reflected in customers’ bills and therefore some companies are metering their customer base more gradually, often upon a change of occupier, to spread the costs more evenly. Nevertheless, the change is happening, with more and more households being metered.

In your third point you say pricing and conditions should be the same across all companies in England and Wales. Water companies face different challenges unique to their own areas and these have to be considered when the businesses set their prices. For example, in the South West, which you rightly say has more expensive services than elsewhere in England and Wales, there is more coastline to maintain than in other areas. Government acknowledges this with the £50 rebate it gives to South West Water domestic customers. A company which covers a large rural area will have a lot more pipe network to maintain than a company with a customer base mostly located in towns or cities.

Our research tells us that affordability is a concern for consumers, but that the safety and security of supply is too. A company must put together a business plan that accurately reflects the cost of its operations to ensure it can carry out its functions at a price considered acceptable by its customers. Ofwat then scrutinises these plans as part of its price setting role. You can read more details about price setting and how Ofwat regulates the industry on its website here (http://www.ofwat.gov.uk/pricereview/setting/) . In the most recent price setting process (setting the prices for 2015-2020) CCWater pressed companies and Ofwat to listen to their consumers’ views and we are pleased that this delivered a deal which reflects the services consumers want, at a price most find
acceptable. CCWater will also keep a close eye on every water company’s performance to ensure they deliver on the commitments they have made to customers on service and investment.

I hope this information is useful to you.

Kind regards,


Catherine Jones
Complaints & Performance Assistant Manager

Consumer Council for Water

bob comment.
31/12/2014
I must admit when i first saw the above figures for 2013/14 combined rateable value (CRV) average of £417. V .combined metered water (CMW) average of £355 i was amazed, as I expected it to be the other way around, and then i wondered why this is.
FACTS
1. Rateable value customers have the option to change to a water meter, even if it’s only for a 12 month trial and they have the option to revert back to RV if it works out to expensive.
2. Water metered customers , who purchase, rent a house with a water meter already fitted or are in a area where compulsory water meter fitting is in progress do not have a choice and are stuck on a meter and with the water supply company ,that supplies them.
3. A house with a high rateable value which has a low occupancy would be foolish to stay on rateable value water payments. So a high percentage has already opted to move onto water meter charges, because it is the cheaper option.
4. As stated by the Consumer Council for Water’s currently around 50% of households in England and Wales are on a water meter ,out of this 50% you can bet quite a few who hade
Large rateable value properties have opted to move to a water metered bill, thus lowering their bills and lowering the rateable value average bill total, now if the water metered customers had the option to change to rateable value payments, the averages may look a lot different. As we know some water metered customers are paying £1000 to £1500 for their combined water bills they would if they had the option change to RV as the cheaper option.
So i am afraid to say the average’s for rateable value payments .V. water metered payments does not give a true answer as only one side has the option to change from paying on a rateable value bill to a water meter bill.
SUM UP
It still pays for households on RV charge with med to large families living in a med to low rateable value property to stay put , until they are forced onto a water meter.
Properties paying for their water on a rateable value charge, using a low amount of water
Say due to a change of occupancy / was two now one, it would pay you to change to a water meter, and you also have the option to revert back within 12 months if you found it more expensive, bob2 happy new year to all.
BOB 2
Posted: 05 February 2015 12:13:28(UTC)

Joined: 10/08/2012(UTC)
Posts: 709

05/02/15
HOW TO WORKOUT YOUR AVERAGE PRICE OF A LITRE OF WATER USED,ON A METER

The idea is to workout the cost to you in your area of the country for each litre of water used
charged to you by your water supply company.

CHARGES . WATER METERED CUSTOMERS
my water supply co. is Wessex water
on today's prices we are charged 224.46 pence a cubic meter used.that's 1000 litres
and for sewage 185.74pence a litre based on the water we used as they recon. what goes in must come out.
standing charges water £24 sewage £54 annually
discount of 5% on sewage charge for rain water from gutters/etc going to soakaways not returned.

so get hold of your total bill, which includes water,sewage,standing charges,discounts,
so our total bill comes to £336.95 and we used 72 cubic metres,which is 72,000 litres
now divide the total amount charged £336.95 by 72000 =£00.0046798 pecne a litre

so the cost from wessex water for every litre of water used averages out at .0046798 p a litre

UPDATE 11/ 07/2015
Bristol Water customers to get cheaper bills as competition watchdog tells firm to make 17% cuts over the next five years
Annual Bristol Water bill to drop £32 to about £159 for next five years if calculated using a 2012/13 price base
More than a million households in Bristol could see their water bills slashed by 17 per cent, before adding inflation, over the next five years after a ruling by the competition watchdog.
If calculated using a 2012/2013 price base, the average household bill for Bristol Water customers is expected to drop from £191 to about £159 per year for the 2015-2020 period in real terms.
Bristol Water, which supplies around 1.2 million customers in the area, had been ordered by sector regulator Ofwat to reduce household bills by 19 per cent earlier this year.
Cuts: Some 1.2m Bristol Water customers could see bills slashed by 17 per cent for the next five years
+1
Cuts: Some 1.2m Bristol Water customers could see bills slashed by 17 per cent for the next five years
The company rejected that request on the basis that it would not have enough funds to run the business, saying it would lower the bills by 6 per cent before inflation instead.
Ofwat then referred Bristol Water to the Competition Market Authority, which today published the provisional findings of a detailed review and told Bristol Water to implement a 17 per cent cut in bills. A final decision will be announced on September 3.
Bristol Water had claimed it would need to spend £537million on wholesale activities, which include abstracting, storing, treating and transporting water. But the CMA said this would cost £429million, a bit more than Ofwat’s assessment of £409million, but much lower than Bristol Water’s estimates.
Energy bills: Could you cut your fuel costs by switching to the best deals?
CMA inquiry group chairman Anne Lambert said: ‘Our provisional findings would result in substantial reductions in bills, as compared with Bristol Water's plans, although they involve a small rise above the price limits set by Ofwat.
m
‘We provisionally rejected several projects proposed by Bristol Water which would have increased its expenditure - and ultimately bills - because we did not consider they were fully justified and in the interests of customers.’
Bristol Water chief executive Luis Garcia said:’The provisional findings are positive in some areas.
‘We will continue until the conclusion of the process on September 3 to ensure we can deliver what our customers want - a reliable and quality water supply - at an appropriate bill level.’
The average water bill across England and Wales is set to drop by around £9 from next year, according to Ofwat.
At the start of the year the regulator said bills will drop by an average of two per cent and households struggling to pay will share a pot worth £40million to help them pay their bills or write off earlier debts.
Water companies are cutting charges after the regulator Ofwat ordered the industry to lower annual bills by five per cent in real terms over the next five years.
However, actual bills dropping through customers' letterboxes in five years' time will be higher because they will take into account the rate of inflation.



dandare,
What we have to remember is . if you are on rateable value water payment 1. you can have a unlimited amount of people living in your house. 2 they can all use a unlimited amount of water, 100 times more than the dear old pensioners GEORGE & MILDRED living next door stuck on a water meter, paying for every drop they use The system for water charges is a B. shambles and will always be until every household is connected to a meter. and they are given the right to swap water supply companies as electricity and gas . I agree with that said GEORGE to MILDRED, never mind said MILDRED as she put her arm around GEORGES shoulder , i left you my bath water so you can water your plants .

Jim, Manchester, about an hour ago
I am a different Jim from Manchester. My UU water and sewerage charges including standing charges are £180 on a meter.


futility, Lancashire, about 12 hours ago
something wrong there Jim, we are two and run our house in a similar manner, our bill with united utility is about £240 per year, just a thought my son lived on a modern housing estate ,they had high bills but eventually found out that the meters had been mixed up and they were being charged for next doors usage which was a family of 6.

sensiblegirl, london, United Kingdom, a day ago
Were Bristol Water ripping off their customers? Surely not!


JIM, MANCHESTER, a day ago
Can I switch to Bristol water please?
ReplyNew07Click to rate

JIM, MANCHESTER, a day ago
Ofwat would be better employed watching United Utilities in the north west, I am retired and live alone. I don"t use the bath ,I use the shower and only then when I become noticeable, I never use mains water for the garden, I have three water butts and two pools to use in drought conditions yet my bill is never less than £460.00 ! Why is there such a discrepancy between the north and south?

Gurkinator, Bristol, United Kingdom, about 19 hours ago
Get a water meter!!


JIM, MANCHESTER, a day ago
I THINK THAT OFFWAT OULD BE BETTER EMPLOYED WATCHING UNITED UTILITIES IN THE NORTH WEST. I LIVE ALONE AND DON"T USE MAINS WATER FOR THE GARDEN. I HAVE TTHEE WATER BUTTS AND TWO POOL TO FALL BACK IN DROUGHT CNDITIONS, I DON"TTAKE BATHS ,I USE THE SHOWER AND MY BILLS ARE NEVER LESS THAN £467, CAN ANYONE IMPROVE ON THIS?


Matt, Manchester, United Kingdom, about 6 hours ago
Jim you said it's never less than £460 above. Which is it lol. Still get a water meter. However I am worse of with one. Was paying £20.60 per month unmetered, now moved house 200 meters away on a meter at pay £36 per month metered and I watch what I use!!! Unlike before.
GiltEdgedInvestor
Posted: 13 July 2015 09:18:54(UTC)
#47

Joined: 03/03/2014(UTC)
Posts: 20

BOB 2;19552 wrote:
02/05/2013 03:56 AM (UPDATE WHAT SOME PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY PAYING) /SAYING

(more) MAY 2013
rather unpalatable when one stops to consider that Yorkshire Water pays less than 0.1% corporation tax on it's £250m+ profits.

If they contributed more to society then perhaps I could forgive them raising the prices. But as it is I'm already paying more for water than I am for energy.



THE ESTIMATED COST PER PERSON, REF. YORKSHIRE WATER.
Average annual metered charges
The table below shows the average annual metered charges for water and waste water services based upon the number of people in a household. The figures include standing charges and are valid for 2012/13. Please remember that our prices are reviewed annually.
No. of people in household

Low usage PEOPLE
£188 -- 1
£277 -- 2
£365 -- 3
£454 -- 4
£542 -- 5
Average usage
£226 -- 1
£353 -- 2
£428 -- 3
£489 -- 4
£618 -- 5
High usage
£277+ -- 1
£403+ -- 2
£530+ -- 3
£656+ -- 4
£754 + -- 5



What Yorkshire water don't tell you is that they are so leaky they have to BUY water from NWL, who supply it from Kielder reservoir to Leymoor Ressie in Huddersfield down a big 2m pipe laid all the way from Northumberland. In 1994 they first did it with tankers.


The supply of potable water is an expensive business. And the people who do it are responsible first to the shareholders.

In Spain they would laugh at us if we told them we put fires out and water crops with potable water - it's lunatic!

We have plenty of water in this country, we need to learn to manage it better. Keilder has never been less than 89% full.

Ditch the power shower, just have a basic electric one. Works fine for us. Get a small flush cistern. Stop watering the grass, it'll recover. Don't wash up under a running tap, and don't leave it running when brushing the teeth. A D/W does use less than the equivalent of handwashing, so is worth having a small one even if there's just two of you.

If you have one of those upright American washing machines, ditch it immediately - they are guzzlers of both energy and water.

Fix dripping taps. If you see upwelling in the street, it's not a 'natural spring', it's a very expensive leak that will put your bill up so REPORT IT.

Then there's the 'if it's yellow, let it mellow' principle. As you have to clean your loo more often, and with four of us in the household, I don't bother as it gets a bit stinky.

Get water butts, and fit leaky pipe watering systems.

Consider grey water recycling. I know folk who divert shower water to flush the loo. AFTER it's passed through the hot water tank to take off what heat possible.

Finally, the surprising thing is that saving money is greener. Or being greener saves money. Living unsustainably is not the way we can carry on.







GiltEdgedInvestor
Posted: 13 July 2015 09:24:53(UTC)
#82

Joined: 03/03/2014(UTC)
Posts: 20

https://www.nwl.co.uk/yo.../water-saving-tips.aspx

I like the tagline 'Bad Habits Cost The Earth'

and

https://www.nwl.co.uk/yo...r/water-saving-kit.aspx

Something in here to save power shower water!
1 user thanked GiltEdgedInvestor for this post.
BOB 2 on 13/07/2015(UTC)
BOB 2
Posted: 16 July 2015 21:46:25(UTC)

Joined: 10/08/2012(UTC)
Posts: 709

Bob's two saving tips dated 16/07/2015

1. This is for properties with high mains water pressure, or can be fitted in any house to save water. as you probably know when running a tap hot or cold there is a lot of waste water that goes down the plughole, a lot of this waste is due to the pressure it comes out at ,not many people turn the tap down to a trickle. this is why you see sinks in public toilets, supermarkets
sports centres, etc, fitted with a spray head / reducing the pressure coming out, hence saving water and money,
now an easy way to do this in your home is plumb in a 15mm or 22mm BALLOFIX VALVE
in each pipe supplying the tap BALLOFIX valves are just a cheap way of restricting the amount of water that can pass through the valve before it gets to the tap. so when you open the tap,
you have a fixed amount of water that can pass, this can easily be adjusted with a screwdriver or
in the more expensive BALLOFIX VALVES with a small allen key,
i just had a look on EBAY 10 new 15m ballofix valves for £11.85 no postage charge.
so if you cut back your sink usage by say 30% its worth the expense. you will also need a 15m or 22m pipe cutter, ebay again about £6 to £8 .
ideal for bathroom sinks , children have a habit of opening the taps full pressure to wash their hands, fit valves and the pressure set to a low usage.

2. changing your gas Boiler to a COMBI BOILER ,
a. you do not need that copper cylinder anymore or the water tanks in the loft
b.you can run all your hot water services plus mixer shower from a combi Boiler
i use to install them and recommend them for instant hot water and central heating
the reason i have mentioned these is if you want to save some money and need to
replace your boiler, B&Q at the moment are selling off BIASI RIVA COMBI BOILERS
at very low prices on line the BIASI RIVA advance 24he which i have in my 3 bed hs
has been reduced to £430 and the larger BIASI RIVA 32 he is now £382
all you need to do is get a quote to fit it from a gas safe installer.
ps dont forget the flue kit about £36 good luck
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