Saturday, 26 August 2017

Cheaper Water

The water companies reckon if you have less people living in a house than the number of bedrooms, it's usually cheaper to have a water meter.
Mrs F the previous owner was paying for water based on the old system where it was estimated using Council Tax bands. She was paying £340 a year for water - JUST for water ( septic tank sewer here).
We had a water meter fitted at the end of May  and had the first bill last week and Essex and Suffolk Water Company now estimate the water we use will cost us about £170 a year - half as much for double the people!
A good saving

Have a good weekend folks.
Back Monday 
Sue

34 comments:

  1. That's a great saving. We have just had the dreaded septic tank emptied, £30 more than last year.

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    1. We are having it done next week and have no idea how big the tank is as it's an old cess pit. It will be £80+

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  2. We are on a meter also a septic tank we have got our bill down to £7 a month, we dont use metered water for livestock or gardening.

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  3. We have halved our water and sewage bill since changing to a meter.

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    1. It makes sense for 1 or 2 people to change I think

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  4. There are 2 of us in the house and some years ago we changed to a water meter. Our Direct debit went immediately from £53 per month to around £21. A good move !!

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  5. Being a farm our water meter is compulsory but what a lot that lady was paying.

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    1. Have no idea why she didn't change to a meter, she had been widowed for 6 years and it would have saved her a lot of money.

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  6. I was very impressed with Anglian Water's exhibition, visited last week whilst on holiday in Norwich. A water meter certainly saves us money.

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  7. A great saving. Just think of the nicer things you can spend that money on now. X

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  8. We pay £44 per month for a four bedroom three bathroom detached house with 2 adults, 2 teenagers and a garden to water. We've reduced it by £20 per month since January with very careful usage :-)

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    1. Goodness £64 was a lot - well done for getting it down

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  9. We are on a meter and I pay £310-£325 a year with sewage etc. The more water the more sewage costs you pay. We don't have baths anymore just short daily showers. How much does it cost to have a septic tank emptied? Is it yearly?

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    1. Septic tank varies on size - we're not sure what we've got here but it will be £80 + something for each extra so much! When it's emptied next week I'll let you know. Shouldn't need emptying every year.

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  10. I've been on a meter for years. It never ceases to amaze me that people are still reluctant to change over to one.

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  11. We have been on a meter for several years, but it hasn't made any difference to our consumption. If you need a shower, you need a shower! But we don't leave taps running, we were brought up in the 1940s (husband) and 1950s (me) and we are conscious or consumption of all kinds of things, including water. But here in the South West we have the most expensive water bills in the country. How would you like to shell out around £780 a year for water and water disposal (run off, they call it; we can't help that it rains in Devon and runs down the drain and we're charged for that, can we?) That's what we pay at the moment and I expect it will go up yet again next year.
    Margaret P

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    1. Yes, I've heard before how expensive water is in Devon and Cornwall

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  12. I attended an eco show recently and stopped to chat with the lady from Severn Trent who supply our water. She was telling me how much cheaper it would be for us to have a water meter especially now that there are just the two of us here now. She asked me a few questions and called up my details on her computer. Apparently, on our usage, we would pay over £30 MORE every year if we change to having a meter. So we'll do without, thank you : )

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    1. We had cheap water where we lived before as it was based on council tax bands of 1992 - very handy with 3 children ( the campsite and farm was metered)

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    2. In Suffolk, Anglian Water offer a 24mths switch back so if you are not better off on a water meter you can switch back to rateable.
      I thought it was a good idea especially as the computer programme they use to estimate usage is not very accurate.

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  13. On the computer it showed I would save a few pounds a year but have had one a few years now and halved my bill.

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  14. 5 in a 3 bed - we'll stick to the rates!

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    1. Yes we did at the smallholding as it was much cheaper

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  15. Wow! That's quite a difference. Well worth checking

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  16. That's an excellent saving. We are on the old rates/council band costings and pay £340 a year. I dread to think what it would cost if we were on a meter - especially when Amy gets in the shower! xx

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  17. Wow, what great savings on water.

    God bless.

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  18. Brilliant saving. We have a septic tank and a water meter just for mains water .... trouble is that for the whole of this weekend we have no mains water !!

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  19. We're not on mains but have our own spring water here. It tastes lovely and is FREE. I have to say, when we move, I shall be looking for another property with its own water supply . . .

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