Getting older

So getting older means also forgetting stuff, getting things wrong that you have always got right, and other assorted similar crap!

End of last year, after another bout of no water due to incompetence of our local municipality, I decided to put in a backup water tank, (1500lt) with a booster pump.

I then ran the pump without municipal feed so that I could have an idea how long the tank would last me. Nearly 10 days! I refilled it, and redid the test. Nearly 10 days! That means my average monthly consumption, normal use, not sparingly, would be around 4.5 - 5 Kl per month.

Now I checked my monthly water bill, and the average was 10Kl. I knew it was correct due to the fact that I send them a photo of the reading every month, and they bill me on that. But I also now realized that I was 'losing' 5Kl of water every month, and that after the meter, which stood in my property (that's another story).

So I walked up to the meter, and removed the cover around the base, and lo and behold, a leak! And a proper leak, basically 5Kl a month!

I reported it, it took them nearly 6 or 8 weeks, numerous emails, SMS's, WhatsApp's, and threats, but they came out, removed the faulty meter, and put in a new on, but on the pavement this time, on my instruction! And usage dropped to around 5Kl a month. Great.

Anyway, I digress - so we have had a water problem again, been a week or so. Last week Tuesday I switched to the tank again, knowing I'll be okay for around 10 days.

Yesterday (Sunday) I checked my electricity meter (prepaid) and I know I can get a month out of R1000.00 (around 353kWh). But I only had 70kWh left. That means I won't make it to the end of the month. Couldn't figure out why...

Last night I go upstairs to get ready for bed. I hear a humming sound coming in through the window. So I go back down, and go outside to se if I can identify the cause. I've heard it a few night in a row now, and decided to see what it was.

Turns out it's the water pump! I had forgotten to close one of the circulation valves, which means the pump was running 27/7for 6 days. Basically pumping water from the tank, into the feeder pipe and back into the tank!

That little error cost me around 70kWh of electricity - and that's why I will be short this month, and will have to buy more to get me through the month.

And that's how we learn -

Be blessed everyone!