Thread: Excessive water usage!

I recently had a water bill and it shocked me - averaging 900litres a day; water company keep sending emails saying we are well in excess of normal usage and that we must have a leak.

Checked my drum cycles and noticed that over the period of a week it was flushing every 2-5mins! I have done the usual of a pressure wash but not made a lot of difference. Water clarity wasn’t marvellous either. Decided to change my mesh to a 200 and I cannot believe the difference; the water is the clearest it’s ever been; I’m running the pump at full blast now whereas before it was turned down to about 80%. Drum now activating roughly every 45mins. Now the important bit is that not only is it so clear but that water usage is now averaging just over 400litres a day!

Thoroughly recommend changing the mesh! The fact I can move more water through the drum means the particles in the pond are being pulled out quicker through the bottom drain & skimmer and not getting churned up by the fish.

Originally Posted by DiabloDave

I recently had a water bill and it shocked me - averaging 900litres a day; water company keep sending emails saying we are well in excess of normal usage and that we must have a leak.

Checked my drum cycles and noticed that over the period of a week it was flushing every 2-5mins! I have done the usual of a pressure wash but not made a lot of difference. Water clarity wasn’t marvellous either. Decided to change my mesh to a 200 and I cannot believe the difference; the water is the clearest it’s ever been; I’m running the pump at full blast now whereas before it was turned down to about 80%. Drum now activating roughly every 45mins. Now the important bit is that not only is it so clear but that water usage is now averaging just over 400litres a day!

Thoroughly recommend changing the mesh! The fact I can move more water through the drum means the particles in the pond are being pulled out quicker through the bottom drain & skimmer and not getting churned up by the fish.

Ah wow, that sounds very interesting, I will be needing to change mine I think when they install my meter, where did you get your mesh, and what drum do you have?

i have a meter in the house, but pond not metered !

were on a meter but pond is feed by a outside tap which still comes through the meter. however ive fitted a screw on digital meter too outside tap so i know exactly how much water the pond uses.

keith

Originally Posted by Jedstone

i have a meter in the house, but pond not metered !

WOW, how did you manage that, I'd be soooo pleased with that, not that I am not haoppy to pay my way, I pay enough tax & vat already

Originally Posted by rolo

were on a meter but pond is feed by a outside tap which still comes through the meter. however ive fitted a screw on digital meter too outside tap so i know exactly how much water the pond uses.

keith

That's handy Keith, does that help with the bill, are they aware and take note of your readings?, I think my digital covers my trickle in, but not the Drum <thinking>

ive been sent a form to fill in. lady on the phone was very helpful and said should be a reduction.

keith

Originally Posted by john1

https://www.robinsonwirecloth.co.uk/...oven-c12866683
I have used these for anyone wanting to change their mesh,reasonably priced.

Diablo Dave,presume you got a 200 mesh and not micron?
I think it is well worth changing your mesh now and again,not hard to do at least on my Draco it is.

When I got my mesh from Robinsons there was enough for 2 x drums so happy days.

So Keith,the water board are giving you money off as you have a seperate meter?
That is very interesting,does your waste go down the drain or over the soil?

Nice one John, thank you!!

Too cut a long story short back garden was was dug out due too contamination so pond went from in ground too above ground. so temp pond went in next doors garden so pond builders could crack on then landscapers followed on. pond builders suggested a meter so i know how much drum is using and how much temp and new pond used too fill..
water bill did not change ? so i did not do anything until two wekks ago when quarterly bill went through the roof.
turns out they had being estimating it . so i now have a form too fill in regards pond usage and two leaks we had.

keith

Originally Posted by rolo

Too cut a long story short back garden was was dug out due too contamination so pond went from in ground too above ground. so temp pond went in next doors garden so pond builders could crack on then landscapers followed on. pond builders suggested a meter so i know how much drum is using and how much temp and new pond used too fill..
water bill did not change ? so i did not do anything until two wekks ago when quarterly bill went through the roof.
turns out they had being estimating it . so i now have a form too fill in regards pond usage and two leaks we had.

keith

Ahhh bugger, that sounds a pain, estimated bills are a nightmare, british Gas screwed me on them!

Hopefuly you don't come out too bad with it!

My supply pipe comes from the meter in the next street with the pipe coming along a small footpath and across next door's garden. Overall distance about 75m.
It is old, black 20mm plastic pipe.
We had a leak next door a couple of years ago that lasted about 6 weeks, wasting over 17000 litres per day
First I knew about it was the neighbour telling me the bottom of his garden was like a swamp and that he had checked the water meters. Mine was spinning like a top.
The bill for the quarter was over £1000.

Fortunately the water company then wrote off all the water consumed in the leak and credited my bill.

Damn I bet that was a shock at the time!!

Shame you couldn't have put a 'Y' branch in the supply before your meter

As I use 'Trickle in Trickle out' for partial changes, 'SES' advised me to apply for an "Abatement". It can be done on-line & pays particular attention to the overall volume of your pond, & asks for confirmation that none of the pond overflow enters their drainage system. Net result was I got a £50 a year rebate, backdated for 6 years :-)

Originally Posted by Nidan

As I use 'Trickle in Trickle out' for partial changes, 'SES' advised me to apply for an "Abatement". It can be done on-line & pays particular attention to the overall volume of your pond, & asks for confirmation that none of the pond overflow enters their drainage system. Net result was I got a £50 a year rebate, backdated for 6 years :-)

That's interesting!!

So if when my meter is put in, I divert the trickle in/out overflow water into a plant irrigation system maybe

Perfect :-)