water bills

[Lapaix]

Hope this is the right section to ask this question - does anyone know the intracacies of the water bill.  We have had our maison secondaire just over a year, and have just received our second water bill.  However, it seems to show that we haven't used any water! Or is it just my bad French! Lynda

[Ron Avery]

Don't know which water company you are with and you do not say if you are being asked to pay the standing charges, but Segala in the SW give you an estimated bill at 40% of your last metered bill if they cannot read the meter.  If nobody has been in the house for 6 months and you had the meter read it is quite possible that you have a 0€ consumption bill as you have not used any, although you should pay the standard charges.  Loook on the back of the bill, it will tell you what readings they have used.

[Will]

Different water companies in France do things in different ways, but it sounds as if yours operates the same as ours STGS, Avranches). We received a bill today, our bill too looked at first sight as if no water had been used but reading it further showed that it was for the annual standing charge only.