Detecting an underground water leak

[pulck]

Do they really take the readings daily? My usage is around 1.0 to 1.7 cubic meters per week. Yorkshire water, only bill me annually for consumption, with annual consumption values.

It's a smart meter, so it appears to update daily.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It's a smart meter, so it appears to update daily.

OK, I've heard of those before. My meter, is one where they occasionally drive past, to interrogate the readings, but I log my own readings weekly.

 

[pulck]

Spoke to Thames at length today. They won't trust my DIY test showing that there's no leak. They insist I pay for a plumber's report before they'll believe me.

 

[DP]

I tried this over the weekend. After turning off the main stopcock in the street, I was still getting water flowing from the kitchen tap

That means water is still flowing from somewhere, perhaps the street stop cock is not shutting down fully

 

[pulck]

That means water is still flowing from somewhere, perhaps the street stop cock is not shutting down fully

Yes, I assume the stop cock doesn't work properly

 

[DP]

Yes, I assume the stop cock doesn't work properly

Do you have cold water cistern in the loft?

 

[pulck]

Do you have cold water cistern in the loft?

No, I have a combi boiler

 

[gas112]

no way i would be paying anyone for a report . Tell them your coming off direct debit and just send quarterly bill

 

[pulck]

no way i would be paying anyone for a report . Tell them your coming off direct debit and just send quarterly bill

They have me over a barrel. They claim I used over 40K litres of water in 4 days last November. They say they might give me "leak allowance" if I can prove I don't have a leak. It's Kafkaesque!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Spoke to Thames at length today. They won't trust my DIY test showing that there's no leak. They insist I pay for a plumber's report before they'll believe me.

Write back, and ask them if they will pay the plumber's bill, if he confirms there is no leak.

 

[pulck]

Write back, and ask them if they will pay the plumber's bill, if he confirms there is no leak.

Yes, will try that. But just to clarify, I've spent so many hours in communication with Thames about this now that I'd just be happy for them to acknowledge there's no leak.

 

[gas112]

They have me over a barrel. They claim I used over 40K litres of water in 4 days last November. They say they might give me "leak allowance" if I can prove I don't have a leak. It's Kafkaesque!

in that case you have to see if it would be cheaper for a report or just accept that one off extra water cost

 

[pulck]

in that case you have to see if it would be cheaper for a report or just accept that one off extra water cost

Good point!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Yes, will try that. But just to clarify, I've spent so many hours in communication with Thames about this now that I'd just be happy for them to acknowledge there's no leak.

Leaks don't appear, then suddenly disappear. It's not even certain, that even if you left a tap on permanently, that your tap could even deliver that quantity of water, in that time - perhaps you could measure the flow from a tap, in litres, over say one minute, then multiply that by 60x24 (minutes x hours), to see if it is even possible?

 

[gas112]

Leaks don't appear, then suddenly disappear. It's not even certain, that even if you left a tap on permanently, that your tap could even deliver that quantity of water, in that time - perhaps you could measure the flow from a tap, in litres, over say one minute, then multiply that by 60x24 (minutes x hours), to see if it is even possible?

its only 7 litres a minute