Some people are unbelievable

I agree that the water companies in general haven’t done enough to renew and update supply pipes in favour of giving profits to their shareholders. We’re not too badly served in Norfolk and have been told that, after a wet winter, all the reservoirs and aquifers are full so there’s no problem. But, we are on a water meter. They’ve been very keen on fitting them around here. So we’ve got into the habit of being careful with how much we use. Our bath is quite narrow (I can’t grow more than a size 18 or I won’t fit!) so I’m another one who uses less water in the bath than in a shower. We’ve been watering the bits of the garden that need it - not the big established shrubs - two or three times a week, just to keep in ticking over. The lawn is now brown.

No, you're not being unreasonable, kittylester. We haven't yet got a hosepipe ban but Severn Trent Water are asking people to be careful with water. We are keeping bowls in sinks so that hand-washing water or any water from running the tap goes into them - and a bucket under the shower. We then empty the bowls into a bucket kept for the purpose. Almost-full buckets are taken outside and emptied into watering cans to water the plants. I'm amazed at how much water we collect this way, and it's plenty to keep up with watering all my pots and the more critical garden plants.

kittylester I just asked DH to please load the dishwasher with everything that can go into it - it's more economical to do one load than keep putting some in there and washing other stuff in the bowl each time.

So he's leaving it all to me now

My DH is not allowed to load the dishwasher as he won't cram in every last dish possible as I do, and he puts things in the wrong place (according to me) too! If the DC come to visit they are banned from it as well. It's quite a responsibility being so perfect - sigh.

You are not being unreasonable. I am trying to conserve water and have definitely stopped using hosepipe to water plants. I admit I am still, at the moment, watering things with a watering can but don't feel that uses anywhere near as much water.

I am always careful with water, but only started leaving a bowl in the kitchen sink when the heatwave began, knowing that my water butts would soon empty if there was no rain. Since doing this, I have realized just how much water DH wastes every time he goes for a glass of water - he turns the tap on full blast amd rinses the glass out several times before filling it. That's nearly half a bowl of water wasted every time! It makes my blood boil, but if I say anything it will just lead to an argument. If I want to stop this waste, I will have to be more crafty - I have a feeling that a jug or bottle of chilled water kept in the fridge might do the trick!

We have had terrible floods in our area and United Utilities our Water and Sewerage system provider, didn’t help one iota. Their mission statement says they will but, they didn’t.
I live in one of the wettest part of Britain and there is water everywhere. The flood water is full of sewerage as we have combined drains.
Steve Mogford the CEO of UU is paid 2.9 million pounds a year. And under his direction UU have been in trouble with infringements, such as putting raw sewerage into rivers, 203 times in 3 years. They have been fined hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Now they are asking us to be responsible. Really!!!
They have paid their top employees a great deal of money and also paid their shareholders. They have been admonished by OFwhat for putting their shareholders before their customers.
I have absolutly no sympathy for them whatsoever. They are a private company owned by foreigners. They used their profits, not to improve their infrastructure, but to pay others.
It was a major crime to have sold off a UK asset such as our precious water.
Scotland hasn’t, they have had more sense.

Well said SylviaP that just about sums up the state of the country and governments, of all flavours, selling off valuable assets and to non-British companies too.

If you look up the record of UU it is reprehensible. It stands to reason that if you have shareholders and a CEO to pay and the company isn’t owned by UK citizens, you are asking for trouble.
I have been dealing with them for over 20 years and quite honestly they don’t give a shite about their customers. They care about media cover and bad publicity but when push comes to shove....profit is the god.
I don’t know about other water companies but my contacts in Yorkshire and Cheshire, say the same.
Why would we , when we are swimming in water, have a drought in the North of the UK. ? When was the last time a new reservoir built. The flood water would have filled them many times.
Don’t believe all the bleating on TV, they have mismanaged our water supply and now we will be paying for it.

Steve Mogford will not be getting less salary ( 2.9 million) because we are threatened with a drought, neither will we be getting a reduction in our bills because we are not getting what we have paid for. I believe he has made over a million profit from selling UU shares. They are despicable.

www.investorschronicle.co.uk/directors-deals/2018/01/18/united-utilities-boss-sells-down/

What is unbelievable is that anyone would think selling off water in the UK was a good idea.

I do agree with all the posters on here who are complaining about the water companies. My father, who I have mentioned before was a water engineer who worked in many countries that were not blessed with our rainfall, was scathing about our system. He’s been dead 15 years and was making damming comments about it for years before that.
Re. The point about more reservoirs, where would we put them? The welsh and the Scots on here don’t want them. We are lucky in Norfolk we have aquafers but where would you all suggest they go?
If this is going to be a regular problem then we should all be giving more thought to keeping our own emergency stock, as a lot of us already do. I know it’s difficult if you don’t have a garden but most of us have room for a water butt.
Every little helps!

The argument that because you pay for a resource you can use as much of it as you like is a spurious one. Apply the same logic to food, fuel, housing etc and it demonstrates a disregard for one's fellow man that is becoming increasing hard to tolerate. We have become slaves to over and unnecessary consumption.

I have always been careful with water. Last year my water consumption went down. Despite this my monthly direct debit with Southern Water has gone up 3 times. I live on my own and have a water meter. What do you pay per month for your water?

omg get over it water what you like its just water, I cannot believe how silly some people are water water water andy

Some people seem to believe that money buys the right to be selfish! Also some people are just ignorant! I see on our community board whining about 'I pay my council tax so why can't I do xxx" It is obvious they have no idea how things are paid for, costs of running services etc.

Well it's not gin, Andy! Though if the dry spell keeps up for long enough and the reservoirs run dry, we may have to water the crops with gin and bath in it.

I take it you are far too young to remember 1976, when everyone's water supply was turned off and they had to fill buckets from standpipes in the street? If so, read this - www.independent.co.uk/environment/drought-of-1976-brought-standpipes-and-shared-baths-478513.html

Just water? How long do you think you would live without "just water"? A few days, that is all. Do you imagine that there is an endless supply of water magically filling up the reservoirs, no matter how much we use and how long we go without rain? Or perhaps you believe that water is made in a big factory somewhere, like Bernard Matthew's turkey farm?

This is what really happens - the clouds of water vapour drop rain, which is collected in man-made lakes, put through filters and piped to your house, where you just have to turn on the tap. No need to fetch it in buckets from the well or the river, filter it to get rid of the green slime and the tadpoles, boil it to kill the bacteria and store it until you need it.

Because you have never had to do those things, you don't value having pure clean water without any effort. Think yourself bloody lucky - and don't waste it! It is more essential to you than gold.

Absolutely, Elegran. In answer to Greta's question, I live alone in a house with a garden, have a meter and pay under £10 a month for water. Sewage charges are separate but similar. That I have clean water on tap for less than £2.50 a week, less than the cost of one cafe coffee is remarkable.

Well said Elegran.
He may prove to be right if the heavens open tomorrow but then again he might not.
I feel happier doing my bit. Thank goodness we don’t all have his attitude.

Myself and family members all take showers not baths.
I have a 200 litre water butt for my garden which is now empty. I now use tap water just for the few planted pots and newly planted bits in garden. I do this late, after dark.
We have a water meter fitted, so always watch what we use.

kitty is there any quotable evidence re dishwashers and washing up by hand? Left to myself I normally run the dishwasher (for two) once a day as a routine, but DH insists on washing mugs etc by hand (badly) and claiming he’s being economical.

Yep!!

www.nrdc.org/stories/9-tricks-save-tons-water

Sorry can't do it fancy on my phone!!

Lots on Google and I think is says so in Which!

winterwhite, you do have to run the dishwasher only when it is full to make it more efficient than hand-washing, so doing it every day for 2 people (I assume you must be putting pans in) is probably not efficient for water or energy. Could you consider washing pans by hand and filling the machine up with plates, bowls, mugs/cups and cutlery? Trust me, it won't get smelly over a few days!

Washing pans!

We use ours when it's full be it twice a day, once a day or every second or third day.

Washing pans is as bad as washing cups.

Yes, but they take up so much room in a dishwasher, and if you run a bit of water into them when you serve up, they are easy to wash.