Water Bill

[aussiblue]

The frogs keep the water clean; eat the insects and mosquito lava etc. that would otherwise contaminate the water. You only worry if the frogs leave or die (most die at around the same time so there is a daily check at those times). We were lucky when as a child when we relied on tank water - the few annual deaths (they live for around 20 years) seemed to occur at the same time every year and the dozen regular frogs we had in our tank also had a annual breeding migration between the very close lake on our property and the water tanks (breeding in the lake) and most missing in the lake or while migrating (predation by water birds).

[mik]

We usually have a pretty decent water bill, family of three, two pensioners home most of the time, probably do washing a couple of times a day..... Old top loader style machine,
Also we have instant hot water which is probably uses a bit more more water.
When you turn on hot the water pressure turns on the pilot that lights the gas...... Then you have to wait for the water to heat and get through to the tap....... Also you have to run the old style shower head that uses about double or triple the volume of green shower heads....... Add to that an incontinent old fart running to the loo multiple times per day, it doesn't take long to up the water consumption.

[cram_it_frog]

we got a electric bill last march $3500 normal bill is around $350

we are on a pension and nearly died so we rang them and asked what is going on .

they said we had to bump up our fortnightly payment that are deducted from our pension to $500 per fortnight normally we pay $100

And they will look into it.

My wife went ballistic and rang ombudsman who deals with power and water company's we are not the first to contact them it seems a number of people in Broken Hill had similar bill.

first thing was the ombudsman,s office contacted origin energy and stopped them from deducting the $500 and first thing next morning
we got a phone call from Origin public relations people apologizing and promising to sort it out asap

It turned out they miss read the meter

if you have any questions re any power or water bill contact Ombudsman they are great and helpful

Power /water company s want you to pay up front sort it all out later not all can afford that

[zilo]

That is a very high cost per 1000/L

About 30% more than Geelong rate.

[naddis01]

The starting rate for ours is about $0.35/kL.

[jaydee]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

And not only for the bills. You can't beat the taste of tank water. Nothing like checking the strainer with a couple of dead cane toads at the top. I find it's an "acquired" taste.........

I was talking to a lady the other day who used to run a safari park in Africa. One day the people started complaining about the taste of the water, then a tuft of fur came through the tap, so they had a look in the tank. A dead Baboon. When they tried to fish it out its limbs kept falling off, I felt like heaving as she was telling me the story.

[aussiblue]

I could tell you about the decomposed dead rat found in the tea urn at a place I used to work at but my stomach turns just recalling it.

[CoupeKing]

Imagine drinking water from a source that's had dead body in it for 11 months, even after complaining to the council numerous times that the water tasted funny,lol.


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-n...-found-4971412

[nuthin' fancy]

Can we get back on topic before I do a little sick in my mouth?

[PimpMyHubcap]

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum....cfm?t=2366380

"We recently have had a higher than usual water bill but I put it off to us just simply using more water... Well that was until I happen to review the security footage from my front cameras.

The neighbour has been filling his huge rainwater tank for several hours a day while everybody is at work.

I have not been over yet out of fear that I might drown him in his own tank – its my water after all.

What is the best way to secure the tap? I searched the forums and several suggestions popped up but what is the easiest way in terms of install etc. I would do the plumbing myself if required"

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by PimpMyHubcap

What is the best way to secure the tap? I searched the forums and several suggestions popped up but what is the easiest way in terms of install etc. I would do the plumbing myself if required"

I had a similar issue at my old place. Initially I turned the tap off really tight with a large shifter, but the thief next door (a retiree who was home in the day when we weren't) woke up to that, and used his own spanner. Also, it wrecked the washer in a short time, so that's not a good long term solution. In the end, a local plumbing supply shop sold me a brass cap that fitted on the outlet of the tap, and needed to be tightened up with a pipe wrench. It wasn't too inconvenient for the rare few times I needed it, but it was enough to stop someone with limited tools.

The people living there now purchased a weird set of 1/4 turn lock-in fittings for their hose reel, and epoxy glued the matching fitting onto the front tap. It's easy for them to use, but the tight-*** won't spend the money on matching fittings to steal the water anymore.


recently a young guy at work caught his retired neighbour (what is it with tight-*** retired thieves?) hooking up to his secluded tap on the side of his house during the daytime, and filling his tanks, just like your neighbour. This guy didn't realise my colleague was having a sick day, and he was alerted to it by hearing water running while he was laying in bed.
Not wanting to confront him, we came up with the solution - as that tap wasn't in use by him, they turned off the water, removed the tap completely, and fitted a screw-in plug. He turned down my suggestion about leaving a note where the old tap was.


You can get security style taps that have a 'key' arrangement - the T handle is separate, and only fitted in to tin the tap on & off, like those in council parks, toiled blocks, and quite often now in shopping centres. That would be the simplest solution if you regularly use the tap.

[ute83]

Pretty sad that we have to worry about people stealing water from their neighbours. Sign of the times I suppose.

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by CoupeKing

Imagine drinking water from a source that's had dead body in it for 11 months, even after complaining to the council numerous times that the water tasted funny,lol.


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-n...-found-4971412

Was she a clown? Or just another standup comedienne wanting to act?

[pigglesworth]

Originally Posted by commodorenutt

recently a young guy at work caught his retired neighbour (what is it with tight-*** retired thieves?) hooking up to his secluded tap on the side of his house during the daytime, and filling his tanks, just like your neighbour. This guy didn't realise my colleague was having a sick day, and he was alerted to it by hearing water running while he was laying in bed.
Not wanting to confront him, we came up with the solution - as that tap wasn't in use by him, they turned off the water, removed the tap completely, and fitted a screw-in plug. He turned down my suggestion about leaving a note where the old tap was.

Ha, I would have left a note at the tap to the effect of "Noticed you were stealing my water - not to worry I've taken something from your yard to the value of the $xxx worth of water you stole".

[commodorenutt]

Originally Posted by ute83

Pretty sad that we have to worry about people stealing water from their neighbours. Sign of the times I suppose.

The guy using my water when I wasn't home didn't stop there - he also used to steal my power. I had an outdoor power point near the spa area, and he would climb a step ladder, then lean over the fence & plug in.

I caught him unplugging when I got home early one day. He claimed he only used it to run his water pump down the backyard, away from the house, for a few minutes, and he couldn't get power down to it. I told him to buy an extension cord from Bunnings and use his own power points. He did buy the cord, then I caught him again - the cord was plugged into my power point, and this time he was running his pool pump off it!

This was a respectable neighbourhood - he was a self funded retiree, but well funded enough to buy a new Camry every 3 years. He had worked all his life as a minder/guard/driver for Federal MPs, and wasn't short of a $. I guess all those years spent sleeping with the dogs (well, legalised criminals) sooner or later you'll end up with fleas......

[cram_it_frog]

it was not that long ago people lived in the Sunburbs in harmony and worked together all of that seems to be out the window

[damo76]

well we don't have any leaks. I just got of the phone to them and there trying there usual bull.
Thing is on kingston facebook page were we live everyone is complaining about there bills so something is up.

[damo76]

Yes a lot of people complaining about +$600 water bills for 2 month period then they said this thing was happening a couple years ago. one women said she filled her pool and it was like 200 to 300 dollars do something dodgy

[richo77]

Not saying your in this boat damo but i'm glad of the high cost of excess water users. People both private and commercial dont seem to realise that water is a valuable resource that should be used sparingly.

[mik]

Its a bit sad isnt it, people stealing water and electricity,
i would love to buy acreage out in the sticks somewhere away from the rat race, become self sufficient.

[sleek7]

Originally Posted by richo77

Not saying your in this boat damo but i'm glad of the high cost of excess water users. People both private and commercial dont seem to realise that water is a valuable resource that should be used sparingly.

This I agree with but here in Melb they sting you regardless. I have my $338 bill in front of me, total water costs for 4 months comes in at $33...the other $300 is purely connection and sewerage 'fees'... Nearly a grand a year just to be connected ffs...

[zilo]

Originally Posted by mik

Its a bit sad isnt it, people stealing water and electricity,
i would love to buy acreage out in the sticks somewhere away from the rat race, become self sufficient.

That wish will set you back about 40 grand...excluding the block price.

[mik]

Originally Posted by zilo

That wish will set you back about 40 grand...excluding the block price.

perhaps ..... or maybe not, i like the idea of utilizing/building your own stuff.... a bit of handy man ingenuity .... you know, the scary technology ;).

[SSD-85]

Originally Posted by zilo

That wish will set you back about 40 grand...excluding the block price.

Oh boo hoo.

Id pay that rather than slap 40 grand plus interest on a new car that replaces my perfectly usable one I already own. Just because it looks nice, runs on the smell of a wet dream & wipes my bottom for me.

So many that have the money to be self sufficient, but would rather the fun factor of consumerism.

But its okay, Im the cute sweetiepie here....

[zilo]

Originally Posted by mik

perhaps ..... or maybe not, i like the idea of utilizing/building your own stuff.... a bit of handy man ingenuity .... you know, the scary technology ;).

If it was possible to fabricate solar panels in the shed out back i would already have done it....but alas a silicon smelter is beyond most people.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by nuthin' fancy

Can we get back on topic before I do a little sick in my mouth?

That was my fault

[mik]

Originally Posted by zilo

If it was possible to fabricate solar panels in the shed out back i would already have done it....but alas a silicon smelter is beyond most people.

i was thinking more a combination of power sources not just solar, if i had a creek running through my acreage a bit of water power, some wind power, maybe even some >>>>>::::::::::::> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q05NISGYYJg

[XR Martin]

2 people, 90L day on average.
I guess crap water pressure due to 60yo pipes helps

[Franco Cozzo]

^ Dont shower for a week and you'll knock it down even further

[damo76]

K bit of an update... it made the news https://au.gwn7.yahoo.com/w1/news/a/...-suburb-video/