Topic: Water water everywhere and more than you think?

Picking up the disaster-privatisation theme from recent rail postings, we’re 18 months or so into our 2 year grace period pre statutory water meter use. I’m guessing many other locals will be similarly placed. To see if it’s worth switching early I’ve been tracking and logging our monthly reported usage (via the Thames Water web site). What I have noticed is that historic monthly figures can bounce around like a kangaroo, and like a kangaroo, they always go upwards. This time I see my previous 4 months have all moved, and all up, one by roughly 20%. Can anyone think of any reason, other than a massive scam brewing, why eg my January usage should change (a lot) during May – and the same for several other previous months? Obviously it’s nice if you can bill this way, for I’m sure eg Tesco would appreciate the opportunity to lump an extra 20% on historic shopping bills direct to someone’s account to enhance their bottom line in these tough retail times.
A few other local “usage trackers” could be useful for when the future water relationship inevitably turns nasty.

I can see metered results since Feb and the four months are roughly in line, with an upturn in May (one extra person in house and hottest May on record). Overall it appears I'm saving against pre-metered regime but will continue to monitor.

Thanks Adrian. Now make a note of those monthly figures and look again in say 4 months time. Don’t be surprised to see they have not stayed the same, but rather have gone up!

Now jumping back onto my new privatisation-what-a –shambles hobbyhorse, I see that Thames Water has paid no Corporation Tax (read support for schools, health, roads, defence et al) for over a decade, while English water bills have increased by 40% in real terms since privatisation, shareholders have done famously through huge dividends, while the CEO’s of the 9 water monopolies have trousered £58m between them over the last 5 years. I’m off to boil my head.