Water Bill Higher Than Expected?

How to carry out a self-leak test

Is your bill higher than expected after a read has been taken? If you can’t think of a logical reason for the increased usage, chances are you have a leak.

They’re not always noticeable but they can waste a lot of water (and money) if they’re not fixed! It’s important for both the finances of your business and the environment to take the right steps…

1. Firstly, turn off your internal stop tap (usually located under the kitchen sink)

2. Find your meter, it should be outside your property. If you’ve found one, but aren't sure it's yours, you can check the meter serial number matches that on your invoices

3. If it’s safe, open the chamber and remove the polystyrene protection

4. Is the small meter dial moving? You may have a leak. Leaks within your property boundary are your responsibility, so you’ll need to call a plumber

If there’s no change to the water meter readings throughout this whole test then no water is escaping and there is no leak, you’re probably just using more water.

Wholesalers sometimes issue leakage allowances. In order to claim for one, you’ll need to send them the following information:

• Who repaired the leak (e.g. plumber, yourself)

• The date of the repair

• A meter reading taken directly after the repair

• A meter reading taken at least 14 days later

5 Tips for saving money on water bills

5 Tips for saving money on water bills

As a business, clever water management can save you significant amounts of money. You may not think much of a leaking tap, but it could be costing your organisation hundreds of pounds each year in water and sewerage costs. By taking steps to ensure that, as a company, you are being as efficient as possible in terms of your water is vital.

1. Make sure the running time of push controls isn’t too long

Check the running time of push taps and showers. For sink push taps, the ideal time is 10 seconds, while for showers it’s 30 seconds. In terms of flow rates, taps should be 4 to 6 litres per minute while showers should be between 8 and 10 litres per minute.

2. Check for dripping taps

As mentioned, this may be an obvious one, but a lot of businesses ignore that incessant drip – and it could be costing them hundreds. Over time the water lost from a dripping tap can add up. If you spot one, contact a plumber as soon as possible.

3. Check the toilets and urinals

Another loss of water which frequently goes unnoticed is within the toilets and urinals. Is water needlessly discharging between flushes? If so, this needs looking into.

4. List all other water-using equipment and do a quick spot-check

If you use hoses, dishwashers, pre-rinse sprayers or any other water-using equipment, you should frequently check for leaks and drips. It’s also important to keep a tab on when they are turned on – make sure they’re switched off when not needed, such as during production changeover or breaks.

5. Invest in signage

Visible reminders for staff to take care with water efficiency can make a significant impact if they’re easy to understand and noticeable. Water efficiency signage should be visible, invest in signage encouraging staff to report dripping taps or leaks.

Finally, ensuring you are getting the best rates on your water is vital – of course we’re going to say this as a broker specialising in value services – but no one wants to be paying more than they could be, right? Water discounts have improved over the last year so if you haven't checked for a while and would like to an up to date quote just click here