On 2013-07-16 18:12:05 +0100, Christina Websell said:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Yes, I know I've banged on about 'thank heaven we put the borehole in'
but....a few weeks ago the pump broke down and it took a week to get
another and fit it. During that week, we had to use mains water and
last night Ray told me it cost £500! So it is indeed 'thank heaven for
that borehole'!! I believe our water board is one of the most
expensive in the country but even so! Think of how much we must all
cost ourselves if we waste any - taps left running during teeth
brushing, letting it run down the sink while waiting for it to heat are
just two that come to mind.
--

I guess you have a water meter then?
Although I could choose to have one and it might indeed save me a bit
of money, I don't want to worry about every time I turn the tap on.
I consider myself responsible about water use and and careful with it
but tbh, if I am prepared to pay a company for supplying me with water
quite a lot of money per year for doing so, it's up to them to do so.
Imagine if your gas or electric supplier said "Pay us xxx every year
for your g or e, but do try not to use it"

Yes, we have a water meter for the Nursery and had to have one as it's
a commercial use, which is fair enough. If we hitch up to the mains
for the nursery, the result is what we saw a few weeks ago. You can
only imagine what it would be costing now if we had to use mains water
right through all this weather! I thought we had a meter to the house
but Ray tells me that we don't, so confusion all round! I put in a
meter when I lived alone in my Jersey house. Unknown to me, a loo in
an outhouse had some weird arrangement for the overflow and water was
running away without that loo even being used. I ended up with a bill
for £300. I suppose that one or two people living in a house where
they're reasonably responsible about water use are probably an 'in
profit' customer to a water board. We only use a dishwasher or washing
machine when it's full, two showers a day (four perhaps in this
weather) and other fairly small use isn't likely to do much harm to the
planet. However, right now, we have a mains leak in the lane outside
our house which has been running for about 3 weeks and so far, nothing
has been done. Re your comments on gas and electricity, just wait...!
Personally, I am infuriated by the enormous amounts of light used to
illuminate shop windows long after closing time, or almost-deserted
streets. We have no street lighting here and nobody wants it. What we
do have are fabulous views of the moon and stars and we'd rather go
with that. Right now, I'm looking at a beautiful, clear half moon from
my study window.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk