Water company says we're using too much water

[AintOverUntilTheCatLadySings]

And I can't work out why/how to use less.

Our water usage went up at the start of lockdown- not surprising as there was now x3 of us at home, it was summer and we were potty training a toddler.

Now our water company are saying we're using too much (we've got a water meter btw and pay for what we use) and sent someone round to talk to us about water conservation.

Thing is… We're quite water conservation conscious in general. Use eco setting on dishwasher, have a wet-room type shower so save shower and bath water in buckets for flushing toilets and watering plants (used the hose maybe 10 times in total this year and that includes filling small paddling pool - water that was also reused).

I even reuse pasta and veg water for watering plants.

Dh and I shower with our toddler so we're not having x3 showers per day or anything. And about 50% of that water is saved in buckets - including the cold water run off at the start.

I use the washing machine about x5 a week.

We don't have a car to wash. No ponds or swimming pool.

They're checking if there's an error but are certain that there's not.

Does anyone have any idea how to save water when you're already doing all the obvious things?

Possibly a water leak on your property?

Are you sure you haven’t got a leak somewhere?

Either a leak or a faulty meter. Check whether the meter is still turning when no one in the house is using water.

Yeah there's something wrong there. How much are you using versus the average household?

How can you use too much? You are being more than careful. Are you sure your bills are correct? Find your water meter, turn every tap etc off and see if the meter is still running. This may show a leak as pp have suggested.

How much did they say that you were using then? It must be drastic for them to actually send someone out.

Ask them to check for a leak... they should be able to look at the flow of water into the house... if it doesn’t go down to zero overnight, there’s a leak.

Thank you. Yeah this is what we've said - but the guy was pretty sure there's no leak.

We're not using way above average - it only jumped up slightly from usual use too. Even on their little graphs.

Maybe the cats are taking long baths each at night when we go to sleep?

They said they'd email us a report and I'll question the leak theory again.

He asked us if we fill the kettle to the top every time we use it. But, even if we did, it's not like we then throw out the water that doesn't fit in a cup!

We also don't leave taps running when brushing teeth etc. Washing machine /dishwasher is only used for full loads.

Can't even think what else uses water.

Garden tap not leaking and not accessible to neighbours so no cheeky fuck window cleaners about.

@JemimaTiggywinkle

Ask them to check for a leak... they should be able to look at the flow of water into the house... if it doesn’t go down to zero overnight, there’s a leak.

That's a really good tip! Thank you! Will ask them this

@easythatsfragile

How much did they say that you were using then? It must be drastic for them to actually send someone out.

I'm thinking maybe they've gone by % increase rather than amount to say this.

To put into context - my parents have a swimming pool and water their garden daily and have never been told they use to much.

We were told to turn the water off at the stopcock and then check the meter to see if it was still spinning when we had a leak.

Thank you- these are all smarter suggestions than us not fill the kettle to the top.

He left us a shower timer and told us to reduce shower times down to 4 minutes, as that was the only thing he could suggest.

While I appreciate if there's a leak you want to get it sorted...

As long as you're paying for the water you use, then what business is it of theirs even if you are using a lot of water? I wouldn't have let the bloke in my house! It's so patronising...

@AintOverUntilTheCatLadySings

Thank you- these are all smarter suggestions than us not fill the kettle to the top.

He left us a shower timer and told us to reduce shower times down to 4 minutes, as that was the only thing he could suggest.

Cross post - if some nosy jobsworth from the water board told me to reduce my shower times to four minutes I would be taking twice daily baths! Can't believe how intrusive this is.

Check your loos. They can develop a fault that causes a constant trickle of water into the bowl.

My water company cancelled my d/d. Then contacted me to say that they would cut water off if I didn't pay. When I called to ask why they cancelled it, she said she had read that I am using too little water. Senseless!

I’m baffled with this. Surely your just paying for what u use. I have never heard of anyone being told they are using to much. That’s insane.

Mine told me had giant water leak over £5k! Turned out when they did arrive months later they had read the wrong meter.

You are being way more frugal than most. How on earth can you be using too kuch when you save pasta water to water the plants!?

I thought water companies were not allowed to cut water off as it’s a basic necessity and essential for public hygiene issues.

This sounds really weird. If you have a meter surly you pay for your usage so why on earth does it matter?!

We are a family of 6 and had been paying our bills for 3 years since the meter was installed. They have recently told us their meter readers have made an error and we are £1000 in arrears.....we have told them that as its their screw up we will take 3 years to pay them the money (it has affected the whole street). We all complained and we got £20 compensation. Big deal!

I would definitely turn everything off and check the meter. 3 of you being that careful with water should not trigger an alert.

He left us a shower timer and told us to reduce shower times down to 4 minutes, as that was the only thing he could suggest.

Cheeky tosser!

@Paranoidmarvin

I’m baffled with this. Surely your just paying for what u use. I have never heard of anyone being told they are using to much. That’s insane.

This

Are they highlighting to you that your water usage has gone up a lot - as a service to you, to say there may be a problem?

Or are they wagging their finger at you and saying naughty naughty stop using so much water?

The former sounds like a reasonable thing to do.

The latter sounds like they have no right to tell you what to do, if you're paying for your water on consumption.

@AppleKatie

He left us a shower timer and told us to reduce shower times down to 4 minutes, as that was the only thing he could suggest.

Cheeky tosser!

If you think the shower timer was cheeky… my DH was showing him round (I was on a work call) and had to leave him in the bathroom to answer the door.

When he got back the guy said that he'd tried to swap our (expensive) shower head for one of their water saving ones, but didn't have one to match the colour of our fittings.

I would have actually lost my shit had that happened.

@daisychain01 definitely finger wagging / telling off vibe.

It's weird, right?