I've had a water meter for some time and it is by far the fairest way of charging. You pay for what your use; those households with more people use more, so they should pay more. Most other utilities are metered, so I really don't see the problem with water being metered.
In contrast to (say) Council Tax it doesn't seem too bad...
Except that they have run out of water, its quite good.
Here is my business proposition to fellow Lifers:
I will provide a essential product to you (say, air for example) and a enjoy a monopoly so you can't get it yourself, then I will charge you a fortune for it an then I will let it run out.
My late mother had a water meter and there was a leak in the vicinity of the meter which resulted in them demanding thousands of pounds from her and hounding her for months. She was not some frail old woman, but it did wear her down. Does someone in their 80s need that kind of harassment?
No they don't, that's why there's the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.. Why didn't you use it?
Thanks for your concern - I was unaware of that act. Are you a solicitor? Could you tell me how that act works? How would it stop the constant drip of threatening automatically generated letters?
In contrast to (say) Council Tax it doesn't seem too bad...
Except that they have run out of water, its quite good.
Here is my business proposition to fellow Lifers:
I will provide a essential product to you (say, air for example) and a enjoy a monopoly so you can't get it yourself, then I will charge you a fortune for it an then I will let it run out.
Give that man a bonus..
What a strange logic to your post Run out of water?? Really. Come on.
a propos your brilliant idea If you have to trap the air store it, pipe it vast distances, pay for building and maintaining storage systems, pay for new and maintenance of old supply routes, take away farts and other used air, clean it ready for replacing into the natural cycle, then good luck to you.
My neighbour has a pump and a well. I have a well but no pump - yet. A monopoly doesnt prevent you from getting it yourself does it Grumpy? If you have a water source, such as pictured below, you can get it yourself - if not, you need someone to get it to you for you.
I read somewhere that as pipe and drilling technology improve in the 1990's, the Isrealis have now managed to angle pipes to tap into a giant aquifer under Syria.
If you have to trap the air store it, pipe it vast distances, pay for building and maintaining storage systems, pay for new and maintenance of old supply routes, take away farts and other used air, clean it ready for replacing into the natural cycle, then good luck to you.
Yes but the point is that water companies did not pay for this infrastructure- you did via taxation when they were public utilities.
They charge a full price for an essential commodity and then inform us there is a shortage.
Not sure how the farts fit in with your argument though
The infrastructure was over a century old in many cases - the leakages that are being reduced stand testament to this.
Farts in your business plan equate to water companies taking away waste water - you need to dispose of waste air, for your mad analogy to work no? Cant believe I'm following this lunacy
Why pay billions to resolve a problem which will sort its natural self out soon. Didn't we have floods all over the country 2 or 3 years ago? I'm sure we can all cope with a hosepipe ban for a few months, Wimbledon tennis championships is only 4 months away and its guaranteed to rain. Last year was the exception.
I remember backalong, the hot drought year of 1976.
It hadn't rained in Kent since April and by the end of August, the government announced that street standpipes were to be introduced on 1st September.
Well, the next bit was predictable ........ cue to tv footage on 1st September, showing street long queues of people holding empty buckets and water carriers, standing miserable and patient in the pissing rain.
My late mother had a water meter and there was a leak in the vicinity of the meter which resulted in them demanding thousands of pounds from her and hounding her for months. She was not some frail old woman, but it did wear her down. Does someone in their 80s need that kind of harassment?
No they don't, that's why there's the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.. Why didn't you use it?
Thanks for your concern - I was unaware of that act. Are you a solicitor? Could you tell me how that act works? How would it stop the constant drip of threatening automatically generated letters?
No I'm not a lawyer. But just google it. The PHA has the merit of having both criminal and civil remedies. Just threatening to use it generally makes people go away. If that fails, you can apply to the Courts for a restraining order. (In the context of the debate, I quite like the "constant drip" analogy).
"Problem solved lads, the Government has announced it may consider using water cannon if riots break out again this year. So when your grass starts looking a little brown round the edges get a few mates to gather on your lawn with their hoods up and you will soon be knee deep and sloshing around in the stuff. Sorted"
Anyone had anything in writing from the water companies telling us that there is a hosepipe ban? I haven't. So if I claim that I don't watch the news or read newspapers do you think I can still use my hosepipe?
How do people know whether or not you are using a hosepipe? Do they rely on whistleblowers?
Almost certainly. But has anyone ever actually been prosecuted? Thames Water didn't prosecute a single person during the last drought!
The ban is actually called a "temporary use ban" not a hosepipe ban. So you can't fill a paddling pool using a watering can for example. Here's the full list:
watering a garden using a hosepipe.
(Garden is defined as either a park, gardens open to the public, a lawn, a grass verge, an area of grass used for sport or recreation, allotments used for non-commercial purposes or any other green space.
But this excludes agricultural land and land used to grow any crops commercially as well as temporary gardens or flower displays.)
The remaining 10 restrictions are:
cleaning a car or other vehicle using a hosepipe watering plants using a hosepipe cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe filling or maintaining a swimming or paddling pool drawing water with a hosepipe for "recreational use" filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe (apart from ponds in which fish or other aquatic animals are kept) filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain cleaning walls or windows with a hosepipe cleaning paths or patios with a hosepipe cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces, such as decking, using a hosepipe
Fortunately for The Valley, professional sports stadia are exempted by Thames Water. Can I park my car on the pitch while the sprinklers are on do you think?
I see that the hosepipe ban is to be lifted for most people in the South East but not for those of us who live in the South East Water company area and also Veolia. They say that as the aquifers are not yet replenished we still cannot use hosepipes. It is about time that water was dealt with on a nationwide basis instead of this ridiculous situation where you have to suffer because of where you live. We have no choice in which water company we use.
The Government should look to shake up the water system. It may be expensive, but we are a small country and it shouldn't be too difficult to share the water supplies around a bit more fairly. Countries like Spain manage their water much better than we do. It is time that these water companies start to think of their customers instead of their shareholders.
Some of the REALLY drought stricken countries of the world must think it ridiculous that parts of our country are still having drought measures taken when large parts of the country are flooded. The water companies must start to manage the water more wisely instead of letting it all run out to sea.
I don't actually need to use a hosepipe now as so much rain has given my plants a good drink, but IF we do ever get a decent dry period, then I will need to water my plants again. Whilst I think it probably unlikely that I'd be prosecuted, I really don't want to run the risk! Watering with a watering can is very hard work when you've got an arthritic knee and hip, but don't qualify for a blue badge!
In my book this has been a complete joke, it's been so wet anyway it hasn't made a difference in saving water, only 5 per cent of the water we use is by a hosepipe , this is just an appeasement box ticking exercise by the green brigade.
Surely the old groundwater has topped up now though? The ground has been saturated for months now, so if that hasn't made any difference then the water companies really need to start looking more closely at how they collect and store rainwater.
Comments
(just Cornwall alone has a linear 300 miles of coastline, if you ironed out all the bays, coves and headlands).
And meanwhile SW Water makes massive profits.
Here is my business proposition to fellow Lifers:
I will provide a essential product to you (say, air for example) and a enjoy a monopoly so you can't get it yourself, then I will charge you a fortune for it an then I will let it run out.
Give that man a bonus..
Run out of water?? Really. Come on.
a propos your brilliant idea
If you have to trap the air store it, pipe it vast distances, pay for building and maintaining storage systems, pay for new and maintenance of old supply routes, take away farts and other used air, clean it ready for replacing into the natural cycle, then good luck to you.
My neighbour has a pump and a well. I have a well but no pump - yet.
A monopoly doesnt prevent you from getting it yourself does it Grumpy?
If you have a water source, such as pictured below, you can get it yourself - if not, you need someone to get it to you for you.
I read somewhere that as pipe and drilling technology improve in the 1990's, the Isrealis have now managed to angle pipes to tap into a giant aquifer under Syria.
They charge a full price for an essential commodity and then inform us there is a shortage.
Not sure how the farts fit in with your argument though
Farts in your business plan equate to water companies taking away waste water - you need to dispose of waste air, for your mad analogy to work no?
Cant believe I'm following this lunacy
It hadn't rained in Kent since April and by the end of August, the government announced that street standpipes were to be introduced on 1st September.
Well, the next bit was predictable ........ cue to tv footage on 1st September, showing street long queues of people holding empty buckets and water carriers, standing miserable and patient in the pissing rain.
"Problem solved lads, the Government has announced it may consider using water cannon if riots break out again this year. So when your grass starts looking a little brown round the edges get a few mates to gather on your lawn with their hoods up and you will soon be knee deep and sloshing around in the stuff. Sorted"
Please keep up Red Robin :-)
Southern Water estimates that the hosepipe ban will reduce water demand by around 5%.
The ban is actually called a "temporary use ban" not a hosepipe ban. So you can't fill a paddling pool using a watering can for example. Here's the full list:
watering a garden using a hosepipe.
(Garden is defined as either a park, gardens open to the public, a lawn, a grass verge, an area of grass used for sport or recreation, allotments used for non-commercial purposes or any other green space.
But this excludes agricultural land and land used to grow any crops commercially as well as temporary gardens or flower displays.)
The remaining 10 restrictions are:
cleaning a car or other vehicle using a hosepipe
watering plants using a hosepipe
cleaning a private leisure boat using a hosepipe
filling or maintaining a swimming or paddling pool
drawing water with a hosepipe for "recreational use"
filling or maintaining a domestic pond using a hosepipe (apart from ponds in which fish or other aquatic animals are kept)
filling or maintaining an ornamental fountain
cleaning walls or windows with a hosepipe
cleaning paths or patios with a hosepipe
cleaning other artificial outdoor surfaces, such as decking, using a hosepipe
Fortunately for The Valley, professional sports stadia are exempted by Thames Water. Can I park my car on the pitch while the sprinklers are on do you think?
The Government should look to shake up the water system. It may be expensive, but we are a small country and it shouldn't be too difficult to share the water supplies around a bit more fairly. Countries like Spain manage their water much better than we do. It is time that these water companies start to think of their customers instead of their shareholders.
Some of the REALLY drought stricken countries of the world must think it ridiculous that parts of our country are still having drought measures taken when large parts of the country are flooded. The water companies must start to manage the water more wisely instead of letting it all run out to sea.
The whole thing is a farce and nobody ever gets prosecuted.