bertie Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 My water bill for the year is usually between 100 -180 euros. I have just received the bill for last year which is 1237 euros for 860 cubic metres! The house is only occupied for about 12-14 weeks of the year. I had repair work to the pool so it had to be filled again but that was only about 40 cubic metres. Also last year a neighbour told me that water was bubbling up in the road outside my house but not on my land. The problem was fixed by the commune and I wasn't billed for the work so presumed it wasn't my problem. Would I have been charged for this loss of water from the leak?Everywhere is shut until Tuesday but I want to collect as much information as I can and hopefully persuade them that I am not responsible for the whole bill.Thanks,Eillen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 You are responsible for any leaks from your side of the water meter.Anything on the other side of the meter is either the commune or the water company and you do not pay. You may have a leak under your property which is why your meter has read this figure and it does happen, near to us over six months of a major leak with a bill of many thousands of euros which was sorted via the house insurance. Get it checked in case it is you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertie Posted May 10, 2008 Author Share Posted May 10, 2008 Thanks Val2. I have looked all around the house and in the garden but cannot find any soggy patches or areas where everything grows well. I also cannot find where the water meters are to do another reading to see if the problem is continuing. Our bill comes from the mairie so do I ask them to check the meters for me? If there is still a problem what type of organisation do I ring to check for leaks? I was cut off for 2 weeks earlier this year. the man who worked for the commune told me that there had been lots of problems with water in the village but that the problem was not to do with my house.Does normal household insurance inFfrance deal with this or should I have taken out separate insurance for this? I have only just received a cheque for a burgulary in November. It's not my year!ThanksEillen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 I wonder if I am paranoid or normal but whenever we leave the French house for any length of time I always isolate the water at the meter outlet valve, similarly I isolate the electrics at the mains. Is this just me being odd ????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 No, I do the same, especially in winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 It is normal to turn off the water supply to the house at the meter if you are not there all the time especially in cold weather as if there is a leak then you will be clocking up the euros. To the poster, I do not understand why you cannnot find your meter, its one of the major things you find the whereabouts of when you buy a property here along with the fosse septic and electric meter. Also if you have any outside taps that are not locked and your supply is still open, neighbours will use it especially if it is a holiday home,never trust anyone here where water and electricity is concerned if they can get it for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 I take your point about the neighbours, Val (I don't totally trust mine) but there is a about three quarters of a ton of water missing here! That has to be a leak. Is there a loss of water pressure in the house?But like you, I can't see how the main valve for the house isn't obvious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 He11s teeth ! I had never considered the possibility of water theft.I suppose if someone really wanted to they could open my isolating valve, use water from the outside tap and then close the valve again, I would never be able to prove a thing. Scary thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 We've thought of that, too, and just cutting into our pipeline. But our only immediate neighbour has an artesian well.It's just occurred to me that they can't - the outside tap is fed from inside - after the indoor isolator, which is always turned off when we are away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusty Posted May 10, 2008 Share Posted May 10, 2008 You can do what I have seen seen the water board men do in England check late at night for the sound of running water .It should be easy in France it soon goes very quite at night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passepartout Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Hi Val-2, how does one put a lock on an outside tap, we turn the water off at the meter, but anyone could turn it on again, thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 You can buy a device with a locking key at a good builder's merchants. We just simply have a removable tap head but then we are here all day and every day to prevent theft. Water theft does go on especially in the countryside where farmers have known to fill up their bowsers for the cattle troughs from holiday homes who left their outside taps on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 Hi ValDo you mean something that locks the main stopc o c k at the entry point to the property? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trees 2 Posted May 11, 2008 Share Posted May 11, 2008 [quote user="powerdesal"]I wonder if I am paranoid or normal but whenever we leave the French house for any length of time I always isolate the water at the meter outlet valve, similarly I isolate the electrics at the mains. Is this just me being odd ?????[/quote]Me too, but I leave the boiler on frost protection, and isolate everything else via disjoncteurs. The water is most definitely OFF, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jondeau Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 The simplest way to check if you have an underground leak........First of all make sure the kettle is full.Take a reading from your water meter......and then do not use any taps or appliances in the house for as long as possible, preferably overnight.Then re-read the water meter.Of course you may have to find the meter first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 [quote user="Dick Smith"]there is a about three quarters of a ton of water missing here[/quote]I think you need to revist your arithmetic Dick:1cu/m of water = 1000kg therefore 2 cu/m of water = 2000kg = 1ton.How much is unaccounted for again............800+ cu/m [:'(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 The point I was making was that it was a lot of water... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 ErnieY,Check your figures. 2000kg = 1 ton ??????? how about 1000kg = 1 ton [:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted May 14, 2008 Share Posted May 14, 2008 Quite right of course Steve, don't know where that came from [:$]Perhaps because, being of a 'certain age', I am an Imperial man first and metric man second [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ams Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Sounds to me that you have a very big leak. we just had our meter read and it came up as 220m3, that includes a s pool and we live here full time. Best bet is to turn off all appliances that use water for 12 hours, 24 would be better, take the reading before and after, then you will be sure if you have a leak or the meter is defective. If nothing shows, then it looks like theft, consult your insurance company, and arrange to have the local water company reduce your water pressure when you are not around. ams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertie Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Thanks ams. The mystery has been solved. Since 2004 I have been sent estimates (although it did not say on the bills) and this year they read the meter. Since January I have only used 1 cu.m. so no leak. At least I now know where the meter is!Thanks to all those who tried to help,Eillen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 That still seems a mighty lot of water for 12-14 weeks PA, let's put to put it another way:13 weeks x 4 years = 52 weeks860cu/m /52 = 16.5cu/m per week16.5cu/m / 7 = 2.36cu/m per day of occupancyBegin to get my point ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Ah but there is a pool involved which surely must have been emptied and filled a few times over those years and you are charged for discharging if you are on the mains supply plus I would imagine holiday renters wouldn't be very frugal unless they are metered at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnOther Posted May 20, 2008 Share Posted May 20, 2008 Not according to the original post:[quote user="eillen"]I had repair work to the pool so it had to be filled again but that was only about 40 cubic metres.[/quote]As for holiday renters, apart from the fact that we don't know if this is holiday let, (and reading between the lines I don't think it is), at an average of say even 50lt a pop, a family of 6 showering three times a day would use 900lt which still leaves some 1400lt of the apparent daily consumption unaccounted for [8-)]Incidentally I think poolguy will tell you that, except under dire or exceptionel circumstances, there should never be any need to drain and refill a pool [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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