$500.00 Month Water Bills

Closed Thread
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 10-04-2019, 09:18 AM
justjim justjim is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois, Tennesee, Florida, Village of Caroline, Sanibel, LaBelle
Posts: 5,620
Thanks: 61
Thanked 1,297 Times in 535 Posts
Default $500.00 Month Water Bills

I’ve been reading on a neighborhood site about Villagers receiving excessive water bills recently and wonder if any TOTV residents are among those who have received such a bill. I personally have not. According to some the problem is faulty water meters that are affected by lightning that strikes in The Villages. Most, if not all, problems seem to be in the summer during lightning season. A number of residents appear to be frustrated with the utility company and have issues with trying to get a large bill resolved. Of course, occasionally a break in an irrigation line, plumbing issue or error in billing are major factors. My neighbor had an irrigation line come loose at a joint two years ago and water was bubbling up in his front yard. There are some previous Threads on excessive water bills but no recent ones.
__________________
Most people are as happy as they make up their mind to be. Abraham Lincoln
  #2  
Old 10-04-2019, 09:42 AM
TedfromGA TedfromGA is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 109
Thanks: 13
Thanked 106 Times in 50 Posts
Default

Along the same lines of meter accuracy, has anyone actually verified their water meter accuracy? Any suggestions as to how check the accuracy?
  #3  
Old 10-04-2019, 10:30 AM
Toymeister's Avatar
Toymeister Toymeister is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,680
Thanks: 343
Thanked 2,335 Times in 729 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TedfromGA View Post
Along the same lines of meter accuracy, has anyone actually verified their water meter accuracy? Any suggestions as to how check the accuracy?
I have. I use a Flume Wi-Fi water monitor that measures water use at the meter using non invasive means, tells me exactly how much water I am using,, real time. It gives alerts for leaks as well. If you want 10% off I have a coupon code for it (PM me). Full price is 199.00 at Amazon'.

I use one for irrigation, one for potable water. It was ten minute job to install. No pipe cutting, no plumber. If you can tie your shoes you have got this.

Last edited by Toymeister; 10-04-2019 at 10:46 AM.
  #4  
Old 10-04-2019, 10:34 AM
Toymeister's Avatar
Toymeister Toymeister is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,680
Thanks: 343
Thanked 2,335 Times in 729 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by justjim View Post
I’ve been reading on a neighborhood site about Villagers receiving excessive water bills recently and wonder if any TOTV residents are among those who have received such a bill. I personally have not. According to some the problem is faulty water meters that are affected by lightning that strikes in The Villages. Most, if not all, problems seem to be in the summer during lightning season. A number of residents appear to be frustrated with the utility company and have issues with trying to get a large bill resolved. Of course, occasionally a break in an irrigation line, plumbing issue or error in billing are major factors. My neighbor had an irrigation line come loose at a joint two years ago and water was bubbling up in his front yard. There are some previous Threads on excessive water bills but no recent ones.
It happened to neighbor six houses down. If it happens to me I have some facts to recognize it immediately, as noted above.
  #5  
Old 10-04-2019, 10:44 AM
Toymeister's Avatar
Toymeister Toymeister is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,680
Thanks: 343
Thanked 2,335 Times in 729 Posts
Default

I also have a Streamlabs water monitor. Available on line at Home Depot or Amazon for 199.00 it uses ultrasonic technology. It requires more technical ability than flume. It cannot be used for irrigation water. I would not buy this again now that Flume is available but it might be right for you.
  #6  
Old 10-04-2019, 11:06 AM
rjm1cc's Avatar
rjm1cc rjm1cc is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,366
Thanks: 237
Thanked 521 Times in 241 Posts
Default

One problem can be that the irrigation controller is set to run more than once on a given day or additional days. Espically for new lawns that get watered a lot for the first few weeks - resetting to a normal cycle may not be done correctly.
  #7  
Old 10-04-2019, 12:46 PM
Pinball wizard's Avatar
Pinball wizard Pinball wizard is offline
Veteran member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 532
Thanks: 420
Thanked 320 Times in 139 Posts
Default

Are we talking about irrigation water or potable? I have a water softener that measures consumption.
  #8  
Old 10-04-2019, 12:59 PM
Toymeister's Avatar
Toymeister Toymeister is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,680
Thanks: 343
Thanked 2,335 Times in 729 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinball wizard View Post
Are we talking about irrigation water or potable? I have a water softener that measures consumption.
Interesting, does it fell you if you have a leak? If your water has been running for an extensive time? Does it send you texts? All of these technological feats are simple to do it if is counting the gallons.
  #9  
Old 10-04-2019, 01:11 PM
Topspinmo's Avatar
Topspinmo Topspinmo is online now
Sage
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Posts: 12,166
Thanks: 6,271
Thanked 4,845 Times in 2,404 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by justjim View Post
I’ve been reading on a neighborhood site about Villagers receiving excessive water bills recently and wonder if any TOTV residents are among those who have received such a bill. I personally have not. According to some the problem is faulty water meters that are affected by lightning that strikes in The Villages. Most, if not all, problems seem to be in the summer during lightning season. A number of residents appear to be frustrated with the utility company and have issues with trying to get a large bill resolved. Of course, occasionally a break in an irrigation line, plumbing issue or error in billing are major factors. My neighbor had an irrigation line come loose at a joint two years ago and water was bubbling up in his front yard. There are some previous Threads on excessive water bills but no recent ones.
Some people don’t have clue how long to run irrigation system. Couple in my neighborhood run irrigation so long the most water runs down the street drain for nearly hour 3 or 4 days week. It’s waste of water and money. That would be the first place I would look HOW long each system runs and how much runoff.
  #10  
Old 10-04-2019, 04:32 PM
justjim justjim is offline
Sage
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Illinois, Tennesee, Florida, Village of Caroline, Sanibel, LaBelle
Posts: 5,620
Thanks: 61
Thanked 1,297 Times in 535 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Topspinmo View Post
Some people don’t have clue how long to run irrigation system. Couple in my neighborhood run irrigation so long the most water runs down the street drain for nearly hour 3 or 4 days week. It’s waste of water and money. That would be the first place I would look HOW long each system runs and how much runoff.
Topspinmo I hear you as I have seen the same in my neighborhood. However, if you have your irrigation system programmed correctly and you have the water to the house turned off while on vacation up north and you use 60,000 gallons of water then what is the problem? You have the system checked inside and out for leaks by experts, and can’t find any leaks it almost has to be a water meter problem. In some cases the water utility checked the meters, and found a “faulty” meter. An adjustment in the bill was made. In other cases the meter was said to be okay by the water utility and the owner had to reluctantly pay the high water bill. Can a lightning strike close by cause a temporary surge in a meter and when checked the meter be deemed okay? That question is above my pay grade and my expertise.
__________________
Most people are as happy as they make up their mind to be. Abraham Lincoln
  #11  
Old 10-04-2019, 04:56 PM
Toymeister's Avatar
Toymeister Toymeister is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,680
Thanks: 343
Thanked 2,335 Times in 729 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by justjim View Post
Topspinmo I hear you as I have seen the same in my neighborhood. However, if you have your irrigation system programmed correctly and you have the water to the house turned off while on vacation up north and you use 60,000 gallons of water then what is the problem? You have the system checked inside and out for leaks by experts, and can’t find any leaks it almost has to be a water meter problem. In some cases the water utility checked the meters, and found a “faulty” meter. An adjustment in the bill was made. In other cases the meter was said to be okay by the water utility and the owner had to reluctantly pay the high water bill. Can a lightning strike close by cause a temporary surge in a meter and when checked the meter be deemed okay? That question is above my pay grade and my expertise.
It is not above my pay grade. The meter works by my the motion of water spinning a needle. The tip of the needle, for lack of a better explaination, has a magnet. Separate from the mechanical aspect of the meter a counter counts how many times the magnet passes by it. This count is what the meter reader is checking with the probe. Count equals gallons.

If somehow an electromagnetic force interferes with the count your Bill Will be off. A lightning strike is a massive electromagnetic force.
  #12  
Old 10-04-2019, 05:02 PM
thelegges's Avatar
thelegges thelegges is offline
Soaring Eagle member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Drayton Plains, MI, Vietnam, Waterford, MI, Pennacamp, Fernandina, Duval, 1 retired in Richmond
Posts: 2,207
Thanks: 12
Thanked 1,588 Times in 567 Posts
Default

Our irrigation was off inside water off, used 48,000 gallons of water. No leaks in system, verification by 2 companies, we are checking into bill.
  #13  
Old 10-04-2019, 05:09 PM
Toymeister's Avatar
Toymeister Toymeister is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,680
Thanks: 343
Thanked 2,335 Times in 729 Posts
Default

So, how does a water monitor play into this. Let's take two customers, both are up north both have the water shut off. neither has a pool, the neighbors do not have a pool. One has a monitor one does not. Both get a Bill for 60,000 gallons. One has water consumption data for a year, every single day, that matches every bill for the past year except this bill, the other has nothing. The monitor has national accreditation for accuracy. What would you do if you were receiving the complaint at the water utility?
  #14  
Old 10-04-2019, 05:21 PM
Toymeister's Avatar
Toymeister Toymeister is offline
Platinum member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,680
Thanks: 343
Thanked 2,335 Times in 729 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by thelegges View Post
Our irrigation was off inside water off, used 48,000 gallons of water. No leaks in system, verification by 2 companies, we are checking into bill.
There are irrigation controllers that install their own "meter" that tell you how many gallons are used. It is plumbed and will give you data for any leak down line. But why do that when you can get a read directly from the meter by Wi-Fi?

I just do not understand why people only think of this after a problem comes out. Every. Single. House. that I have owned has had a water leak. Pipe fitting burst, washing machine hose, ice maker, irrigation lines. They all have failed. No more, if I have a problem I will fix immediately and not post about it to strangers on the internet.
  #15  
Old 10-04-2019, 05:48 PM
champion6's Avatar
champion6 champion6 is offline
Sage
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Tamarind Grove
Posts: 5,453
Thanks: 13
Thanked 792 Times in 327 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TedfromGA View Post
Along the same lines of meter accuracy, has anyone actually verified their water meter accuracy? Any suggestions as to how check the accuracy?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Toymeister View Post
I have. I use a Flume Wi-Fi water monitor that measures water use at the meter using non invasive means, tells me exactly how much water I am using,, real time. It gives alerts for leaks as well. If you want 10% off I have a coupon code for it (PM me). Full price is 199.00 at Amazon'.
I use one for irrigation, one for potable water. It was ten minute job to install. No pipe cutting, no plumber. If you can tie your shoes you have got this.
Does the Flume confirm that the meter supplied by the water company is accurately measuring your usage?
Closed Thread

Tags
water, bills, residents, line, irrigation

Thread Tools

You are viewing a new design of the TOTV site. Click here to revert to the old version.

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:35 PM.