Water Meters

[Brew 5,423]

Just to throw a contentious spanner into the thread. I don't think water companies should be run at a profit.

It is one of life's essential elements and for private enterprise to control it is wrong, doubly so when they have a monopoly.

They own the water in the ground, in the rivers and streams. They would I'm sure, if they could think of a way to do it, claim ownership of the rain that falls on your roof - they already charge you for collecting it.

[philmayfield 6,187]

I'm not a socialist but I think that privatisation of such an essential industry was wrong.

[LizzieM 9,514]

On 4/24/2019 at 10:39 PM, LizzieM said:

There’s a larger square/oblong cast iron plate quite near the STW plate which the guy hammered to try to loosen just to see what was in there.  I’ll take a photo tomorrow when it’s light.  

Here are the 2 cast iron covers outside our gate.  The Severn Trent man had no idea what was underneath the larger one and was unable to lift it.  Any ideas? 

[Enigma. 1,533]

could be a stop valve or air valve - washout fire hydrant  - there is sometimes a small marker post with some letters on it adjacent to a wall   for example  SV AV WO FH 

[LizzieM 9,514]

You’re right Enigma, these are the marker posts on our garden wall, but they are about 40 metres from our gate (and the bloomin’ tree). But right by them are two more cast iron plates, as you can see, AND another massive tree!   There’s also a Benchmark on our wall, visible next to the yellow plate.  

[Enigma. 1,533]

Service Valve / Stop Valve and Hydrant on wall with Ordnance Survey marker next to them 

[LizzieM 9,514]

On 4/24/2019 at 9:11 PM, LizzieM said:

The trees around Mapperley Park are over 100 years old Enigma, the roots will be all over.  We’ll wait and see if Severn Trent take pity on us and reduce our water bill as they are not able to fit a meter when we’ve requested one.  Thanks for your advice anyway 

 

RESULT !!!!

 

Severn Trent have reduced our annual water bill from £772.45 to £453.50, a saving of £318.95 because they have been unable to fit a water meter at our property due to that blinkin’ 100 year old tree.  Now that really is a great result and will mean I won’t be getting mad every time him indoors turns the dishwasher on when it’s only half full or if he waters the garden. It means I won’t be putting a house brick in the toilet cistern and walking around in the same clothes all week (I wouldn’t anyway!)  I must admit that my husband had decided that I was going to make his life a misery if he dared to use too much water so life in this house will be calm (most of the time anyway)  

So, as much as I hate the size of the Mapperley Park trees they’ve actually done us a favour.  I just wish I’d asked for a water meter to be fitted 15 years ago when we moved up here, we could have been £4500 better off.  

[Enigma. 1,533]

Well done Lizzie