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Water meter megathread


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According to Yorkshire Water when I spoke to them about it, a lot of the potential savings depend on the rateable value of your property.

 

For instance, I live alone in a terraced house with a very low rateable value. As a consequence of the low rateable value, if I had a water meter fitted and stopped using water altogether I could only save a maximum of about £25 yearly. Obviously this saving would reduce for every time I flushed the loo or had a shower.

 

For people like my grandmother though, who lives alone in a large semi with a much higher rateable value, there is the possibility of much higher savings as the standard bill starts off much higher.

 

Yorkshire Water have offered to fit a water meter, but it frankly doesn't seem worth the faff of installing and administering one with such a low possibility of savings.

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One thing I've noticed is that since I've liveds somewhere with a water meter, I'm concious of how much water I use and try not to waste any. If I accidentally leave a tap running, when I come back all I can see is ten pence pieces dropping down the drain.

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I had a meter at my previous house (new build). I'm single and it cost me about £13 per month.

 

I've just got my water rates bill for my new house, and it's roughly double that, so I'm thinking of swapping to a meter too.

 

My boss has a wife and two children and says that even he saved money by having a meter fitted.

 

I've found the same... accept mine has trippled :? so i enquired about a water meter which does seem to work out a hell of alot cheaper...

 

I'm currently waiting for my landlord to give the ok for a water meter to be installed...

 

Paying approx £10 a month (water meter) to approx £60 odd a month (standard) is not good... :(

 

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Water meters are fine. They had a lot of bad press years ago when they were first introduced but I think all the teething problems have been pretty much sorted out.

 

We save quite a lot of money and have had water meters for about the past 10 years.

 

As Andy said, you are a lot more aware of your water usage. We wouldn't dream of leaving a tap dripping let alone running.

 

We also check the water consuption of things such as washing machines and dishwashers before choosing one.

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I think water meters should be mandatory for every household. Fitting them is sometimes the only way to get some people to do even the most basic things to conserve water.

 

And then the law should be changed to restrict water companies to making tiny profits until they take real and tangible action to plug the leaks in their pipe networks.

 

Now I'm off to switch on my lawn sprinkler, wash my car and have a swimming pool installed :)

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One thing I've noticed is that since I've liveds somewhere with a water meter, I'm concious of how much water I use and try not to waste any. If I accidentally leave a tap running, when I come back all I can see is ten pence pieces dropping down the drain.

 

Absolutely.

 

Ours is in the kitchen and if there's a shower on upstairs and the dishwasher and washing machine on downstairs the little rotary needle on the meter flies round like a wind turbine on Bodmin Moor. It makes scary viewing for the bill payer (me!).

 

Having said that, we're way better off after having a meter fitted. We're presently paying £27 per month (a family of four in a larger than average semi). Before conversion my bill (dated 25th February 2005 to cover one year hence) was for a total of £506.32. That's a saving of £182.

 

Even allowing for a minor increase/adjustment, it's plain to see that it's been a worthwhile decision to change to a meter.

 

What are you waiting for?!

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I was very wary about getting a water meter as we are a family with 2 young children - so have 4 showers, washing machine and dishwasher on daily etc.

 

I too checked on Yorkshire Water's website and it seemed we were paying waaaay too much (nearly £60 a month over 10 months :o ) so took the plunge late last year.

 

I now pay £22 a month and although I'm pretty sure they've underestimated this and it will increase on our 6 month review, it's still a huge saving!

 

I was chatting to the meter installer and you can now revert back to the rateable value within 12 months of the meter being installed if you find it's not for you. :)

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