I aAunited
\,:::, Utilities
Water for the North West
Testing your household
water meter 2021/2022
Before you arrange for your meter to
be tested, it’s worth considering if you
have changed your water habits at
home. Is your meter really playing up,
or are you simply using more water
than you think?
Our meters hardly ever go wrong, and when they
do, they are more likely to under-record your water
usage than over-record it.
If you’ve installed a thirsty new household appliance
recently, such as a power shower, or have been giving
the hosepipe or sprinkler a regular workout, this
could easily cause a spike in your water usage – and
your bill.
Sprinklers can be especially thirsty, using more water
in an hour than a family of four does in a whole day.
Your current bill could also look higher than normal if
your previous bill was based on an estimated reading.
Try our online challenge at unitedutilities.com/
meters. Our instant online calculator will estimate
what you should be paying, based on your typical
water usage.
It’s also worth checking for hidden pipe leaks, as
these can be a common cause of high readings. See
the next section for our step-by-step guide to leak
spotting. Look out too for dripping taps, faulty toilet
cisterns, or dripping showerheads, as all these issues
will increase your water bill.
One of the main reasons for a sudden increase in
water use is a faulty toilet cistern. Newer push button
toilet cisterns tend to overow into the bowl rather
than via an overow pipe through the outer wall of
your home. As these leaks are not easy to spot they
can waste an incredible amount of water.
If you have a faulty cistern you may be able to hear
a faint hissing sound as the cistern is constantly
relling. Another way to check is to dry the back of
the toilet bowl before placing a piece of dry toilet
paper on it. You’ll soon see the toilet paper get wet if
water is trickling down into the toilet from the cistern.
Our factsheet ‘How to check your water usage’ gives
lots of tips on locating leaks and is available at our
website unitedutilities.com/leaets
Hidden leaks – don’t let them cost you
Hidden leaks on the pipes inside your home, or the
outside supply pipe beneath the garden or driveway,
could mean you are pouring money down the drain.
Unfortunately, your water meter can’t tell the
dierence between things which are wasting water
(such as dripping taps and leaking pipes) and your
everyday water usage. Both will make the meter dial
turn and cost you money. Visit unitedutilities.com/
leaets and download ‘How to check your water
Before applying for your meter to be tested, it’s worth carrying
out the following test. You can normally nd your meter where
the water pipe enters your home (close to your stop tap), or
outside in the footpath:
STEP 1:
Make yourself a brew and use the loo. This check will take some time.
STEP 2:
Turn o all taps and appliances which use water.
STEP 3:
Wait 30 minutes to allow any tanks and cisterns to ll up, then take a meter
reading (including the red digits).
STEP 4:
Don’t use any water for at least two hours before you take another meter
reading (longer if possible, ideally overnight if you can).
STEP 5:
Compare the two readings. Have they changed? If so you could have a
sneaky leak.
usage’ for advice on how to spot those sneaky leaks
in your home.
If the leak turns out to be on your outside water
supply pipe, (which is the one buried underground
that brings water into your home from our main
in the street) we may be able to x the leak
without charge under the terms of our private leak
investigation scheme. Visit unitedutilities.com/
bursthome for full details about this scheme,
together with information about our household leak
allowance policy.
Getting your meter tested
If, after carrying out these checks, you still believe
your meter is faulty, then we can take it away to be
tested. Please ll out the attached form and send it
back to us.
Your meter will be taken to an independent test
centre, and a new one installed in its place. Don’t
worry, the old meter won’t be reinstalled, even if it
passes the test.
Your old meter will be tested on a Trading
Standards approved test rig, and its performance
measured against national guidelines.
If the test proves that the meter isn’t faulty, you will
have to pay for the cost of the test, which currently
stands at £70.00 plus VAT and no amendments will
be made to your bill.
However, if it fails, we will pay for the test, and
amend your bill based on the results of the test.
For further
information
unitedutilities.com/
meters
0345 672 2999
Opening hours:
8am - 8pm Mon to Fri;
8am - 4pm Sat
United Utilities
PO Box 50
Warrington
WA55 1AU
