Thai lady gets a water bill of nearly 50K - we only have showers and do the washing up, she says

 

Image: Daily News

 

A Thai lady in Nakhon Sri Thammarat in the south of Thailand contacted the media after she got a nasty shock.

 

Nittaya's water bill - usually no more than 400 baht a month - arrived on January 6th.

 

A staggering 49,540 baht was demanded.

 

Nittaya said she couldn't possibly pay that and she was in shock. 

 

She said only two people live at her house and they only use the water for showers and doing the washing up.

 

Now the local authorities are looking into the matter for her.

 

Source: Daily News

 

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57 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Now the local authorities are looking into the matter for her.

They must be going to pool their resources.

Even 400baht is a lot for just showering and washing unless she is ‘Washing for Thailand’ 

 

Our bill is usually around 250baht, hedges and grass are watered every day and washing Machien also runs most days.

 

Maybe the whole village have tapped into her pipe or the meter reader needs Spec Savers.

Ah but how many cups of tea does she make...

26 minutes ago, JoePai said:

Ah but how many cups of tea does she make...

At a guess: Must be twenty per second?

If the meter reading is correct, clearly, there is a leak, and the authorities need to get their fingers out. 

8 minutes ago, stephenterry said:

If the meter reading is correct, clearly, there is a leak, and the authorities need to get their fingers out. 

Is there is a leak after the meter for it to register, then it's not the responsibility of the PWA, but the householder.

2 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Is there is a leak after the meter for it to register, then it's not the responsibility of the PWA, but the householder.

That's why she should harass the PWA to resolve the problem - of course, at a cost. Or read your comment and do nothing but moan. Some people... 

1 hour ago, PFMills said:

Our bill is usually around 250baht, hedges and grass are watered every day and washing Machien also runs most days.

Agreed, ours is about 250 - including showers for 3 people at least twice a day, and wife going potty watering the flowers and cleaning the tiles.

Never paid more than 60 baht for water. For 2 houses, 5 people, washing machine everyday, lots of showers and watering of plants etc.

 

Hope she gets this resolved.

2 minutes ago, stephenterry said:

7 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

Is there is a leak after the meter for it to register, then it's not the responsibility of the PWA, but the householder.

That's why she should harass the PWA to resolve the problem - of course, at a cost. Or read your comment and do nothing but moan. Some people... 

Since when did I 'do nothing but moan'?

The simplest thing would be for the householder to look at the meter to confirm it's turning at high speed. Then close the isolating valve immediately after the meter, to check the meter stops.

That will prove it one way or the other in five minutes. 'Some people... '

A good tip to save money on the water bill is to shower once a week. 

1 minute ago, JeffersLos said:

A good tip to save money on the water bill is to shower once a week. 

That seem reasonable to me.

I take it to save even more, you could shower your left side even week numbers and your right side odd week numbers.

My guess would be a faulty meter.

 

If she has bills prior, and a history of usage and no apparent leaks, then it points to the meter.

 

Personally our bill is around 60 - 100 and rarely more, unless madam has been playing with the pressue washer and cleaning everything in sight.

 

Never understood why its the householders job to take care and service/change the water meter. We had to change ours recently as it just stopped due to limescale build up. I would have thought its the PWA responsibility, after all it tells them what to charge and whats been used etc just like the electric meter is the PEA responsibility.

38 minutes ago, stephenterry said:

If the meter reading is correct, clearly, there is a leak, and the authorities need to get their fingers out. 

Not really. If the meter is showing that much water is used, then the leak (if there is one) is on her side of the meter, that makes it her problem.

... and don't leave it to thai mrs to do the washing up... Anybody else ever notice that Hot tap etc turned to Full blast from go to whoa? - and the plughole left Open through out...

 

In falangs hands, a little Hot goes into the bottom of the Sink, and all dishes washed in same pool of water, then Rinsed after..  

13 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

My guess would be a faulty meter.

 

If she has bills prior, and a history of usage and no apparent leaks, then it points to the meter.

 

Personally our bill is around 60 - 100 and rarely more, unless madam has been playing with the pressue washer and cleaning everything in sight.

 

Never understood why its the householders job to take care and service the water meter. We had to change ours recently as it just stopped due to limescale build up. I would have thought its the PWA responsibility, after all it tells them what to charge and whats been used etc just like the electric meter is the PEA responsibility.

'If she has bills prior, and a history of usage and no apparent leaks, then it points to the meter.'

I'd agree with that initially, especially when you say 'no apparent leaks' with the emphasis on 'apparent'.

 

However, when running a bar in Pattaya we had a very high water bill one month. No apparent leaks.

The PWA came to check, and did what I suggested earlier - closed the isolating valve. The meter stopped dead.

 

We then had to find someone to dig into the ground after the meter, to discover a leaking joint. The water leak ran in the ground to a nearby drain, thereby hiding the leak.

 

(In my post anyway) I never said it was the PWA's responsibility to service the meter. I just pointed out if there was a leak after the meter it was up the the householder to repair it.

It's either a defect meter, or the meter is under water, perhaps through a flood?

 

  We were flooded a few years ago and the water pressure caused the wheel turning like crazy. We had a 20,000 baht bill and could come to a solution with the provincial water department.

 

        We were not even living in, a bit difficult when the house is flooded. 

13 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Not really. If the meter is showing that much water is used, then the leak (if there is one) is on her side of the meter, that makes it her problem.

You are the second poster who has stated the obvious. My point is whether it's her responsibility or not, if she wants this malfunction remedied she should stop moaning and chase PWA to get their finger out - probably at her cost.

3 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

'If she has bills prior, and a history of usage and no apparent leaks, then it points to the meter.'

I'd agree with that initially, especially when you say 'no apparent leaks' with the emphasis on 'apparent'.

 

However, when running a bar in Pattaya we had a very high water bill one month. No apparent leaks.

The PWA came to check, and did what I suggested earlier - closed the isolating valve. The meter stopped dead.

 

We then had to find someone to dig into the ground after the meter, to discover a leaking joint. The water leak ran in the ground to a nearby drain, thereby hiding the leak.

 

(In my post anyway) I never said it was the PWA's responsibility to service the meter. I just pointed out if there was a leak after the meter it was up the the householder to repair it.

IMO, it should be the water department's responsibility, as they are the ones who provide the meter. They're also the ones who take it out when you don't pay your bill. 

1 hour ago, JoePai said:

Ah but how many cups of tea does she make...

She's obviously had the builders in.

1 hour ago, Saltire said:

Never paid more than 60 baht for water. For 2 houses, 5 people, washing machine everyday, lots of showers and watering of plants etc.

 

Hope she gets this resolved.

60 Baht per month...........................I don't believe you!

 

https://www.pwa.co.th/contents/service/table-price

22 minutes ago, billd766 said:

Not really. If the meter is showing that much water is used, then the leak (if there is one) is on her side of the meter, that makes it her problem.

If there is a leak big enough to produce a 50K water bill in a month, then I am surprised that her house has not floated off downstream by now!

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Thai lady gets a water bill of nearly 50K - we only have showers and do the washing up, she says

 

Maybe she should get a bathe and brew combo then she could drink the tea or coffee , washup the cups and shower all at once ..

 

She wouldn't let them look at the back of the house though...  

50 k in water is a 100M x 20M x 2M deep pool!

5 minutes ago, stephenterry said:

You are the second poster who has stated the obvious. My point is whether it's her responsibility or not, if she wants this malfunction remedied she should stop moaning and chase PWA to get their finger out - probably at her cost.

According to the OP,  she has stopped moaning. The 'authorities' (we can only guess that's the PWA) appear to have got their finger out already, and put their spectacles on:

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Now the local authorities are looking into the matter for her.

 

Also, sometimes it takes a few flushes to get rid of those big ones.

Seriously.  Take a picture of your meter and record the ID No. It wouldn't be unknown for someone to take a liking to your meter if it has a lower reading than theirs.

They must not have been able to find a farang who would pay it. How encouraging that Thais get shafted by their own people.

47 minutes ago, bluesofa said:

That seem reasonable to me.

I take it to save even more, you could shower your left side even week numbers and your right side odd week numbers.

Not very efficient. Much better to shower your bottom half one week and top half the next. Then your bottom half gets a clean every week....result!