Getting serious about water

Integrity: Wave

Waterbills will be rolling into your home via the letterbox shortly. Some make heavy reading and others just create sheer panic when you see the amount that you are due to pay over the next year.

Watermeters have always seemed like a sensible idea to enable people to pay for the amount of water you actually use but with 3 boys and a business I did think twice about it. I phoned the watercompany to find out more.If you phone them at 8 am there is hardly a que of people waiting to talk to them or maybe there is never anyone wanting to speak to the water company?

The friendly man listened to my concerns and indicated that with a family of 5, all taking showers, my water bill could be reduced by40% being on a water meter and further more suggested that I apply for the watersure tariff which will cap my bill every year to about £ 390. Why have I never heard of this before?

Watersure means that every year your metered water is capped as long as you meet their criteria. You need to reapply every year. After that, you will pay for whatever you use. Fitting a water meter is free of charge and you can change your mind within 12 months and go back to the charge based on your rateable value of the house if you so wish.

The sewage charges are based on 95% of the water you use going back down the drain and if you can prove that all water is collected from the roof into an underground tank you can save yourself another £ 18.00.

Guess it pays to make that call if you fit into the criteria. This phonecall at 8 am may well have saved me money I can put towards other projects in the house.