Hey all, hoping this is the right forum but just a question for any experts who have or had a block of land. We have a piece of land about 800sq metres for about 15 years now. Its in a quiet little suburb with about 40 homes on the street. Its about 6 hours from us so we don't frequent it much at all and we don't know anyone who lives in the street. We have just received our latest water bill and all of a sudden it has usage. About 35kl for a 4 month period. At home as a family I think we use about 60-80 during a 3 month period. Just wondering from anyone who may have had this experience, is this likely a leak from the water meter or has someone such as a neighbour tapped into it? From memory I don't believe it had an actual water outlet connected on the land but I could be wrong. Going to call the local council tomorrow who looks after it but I am not sure if they are going to give us much more info. Thank you.
Prob just get a plumber to go do a leak test after the meter etc. If there are any services present, you can have the tap handles replaced with those security keyed ones or just blank them off. In future, if the blanked off ones have been tampered with you'll know. Also, it's surprising how much a small leak adds up running all the time.
Sounds like the neighbour has filled their pool at your expense. If you don't need a tap on the site, terminate the service - you may still get a service availability charge but there'd be no way anyone can utilise the service.
Definitely no pool next door. I just wonder why there would be a tap outlet on the block, it doesn't seem right. I cant imagine council adding a tap outlet out of their own expense when they were splitting up the blocks and installing the meters. After all these years for no one to turn it on whilst walking past for a drink, wash hands etc?
Anybody with a water tank truck around there? Speak to neighbours if you can. They might know something. Might have to get rid of that tap!
The water company could have mis-read the meter? I would work out which company looks after the water there (the company that sends you the bill) and give them a call. If you know once of the neighbours, get them to go take a picture of the meter for you to check the reading, and also to see if the meter is ticking over or different between one day and the next. Plus also check if there is any damp ground around there/at the lowest point on the block or any evidence of water running down the street.
Oh just read that you don't know anyone in the street, if there's no one local that you know, the water company may re-read the meter if you explain the situation or they may even have provided an estimate reading due to covid.
Why woud you be getting a water bill on vacant land? Should've been terminated years ago. I had an issue where ignored my requests to terminate the service. When they eventually sent the disconnect notice i rang billing and told the "Yes please disconnect the service thank you". They did after a 3 goes at it and that ws it.
Thank you for your input everyone. The local regional council looks after the water service. They have confirmed the reading and emailed me a photo of the meter number with the reading of 37. Question though, if the main meter is faulty and leaking, is it their problem to resolve or is everyone different? Im pretty sure Sydney Water will fix it and any issue 1 metre from the mains. I will call them again to ask but just need to be sure it will be their issue as every time you talk to this council, one persons opinion is different to the next, they a bit all over the place.
Here is the link with details on what Sydney Water are responsible for when it comes to water meter repairs. This will knock out many myths that some people still hold that Sydney Water are responsible for everything on the street side of the meter. Meter maintenance
True. Though a long time ago it used to be that the water service provider was responsible up to and including the meter with the property owner then responsible from the meter. Another example of moving the goal posts..... I wonder who is liable if the council tree causes the line between the main and the meter to break ???? *got to admit Sydney water have been great in the regard, they have previously fixed the line between the main and meter at our ppor
From the link posted before - they will repair up to the water meter: ‘What we repair Repairs on private property If there's a problem in your water system between our pipes and the water meter (up to one metre inside your property boundary), we'll repair it for free.’
Depends. If you drive over the meter they will tell you to call a plumber and fix it at your cost. If it leaks of its own accord they may pay. Same as you must pay to move the meter or change its height etc.
