Fire hydrants to fill tank?

I am at home this morning looking after the kids, (wife has an appointment) staring out of the window, when Metrorod roll up and attach a standpipe to the FH outside my house. I went out to my van to turn off my water as I was filling my tank, and started chatting to the guy who was filing a 650ltr tank (just like ours) It took just 5 mins and the tank was full. (my tank takes over half an hour to fill) He said that there is a meter fitted to the standpipe and they have to tell the water company the readings monthly for billing.

I wonder if we could do this? Water on tap everywhere we go. May look into this.

Great idea! There's a couple of public taps that I top up at. De ionise while I have lunch. There's no shortage of water round here mind.

I believe you rent the metered stand pipe from the Water Company and the cost of water is more than your home supply rate

Well in the Westcountry this is controlled by Jewsons Hire Centres.

You hire a metered stand pipe from Jewsons at £23 +vat per week then you pay £2.05 +vat per 1000 cubic litres used.

You give Jewsons the meter reading and pay them.

If you use for a longer period than 12 weeks the weekly cost drops to £11 +vat.

So it will work out quite expensive.

My usage costs about £28 per month currently, with stand pipes it would be nearer £100.

Water companies will hire you a metered standpipe and will cost you an arm and a leg to use one. No water company I know of will allow anyone to use an unmetered standpipe now.

It was just one of those 'what if' ideas. Sometimes they are good and sometimes after you have explored a little you can see that its a none starter. :sad: