BajaNomad

Strange Water Usage

koala - 6-11-2010 at 09:21 AM

Hi,

We purchased a small house in Southern Baja about two years ago. We have traveled to Baja numerous times past 10 years, but maintaining a property there is a new adventure for us.

We are puzzled by the water usage and hoping if any of you have a good advice. The house is located in a residential (Mexican) neighborhood and it has a town water. Most of the time the house is unoccupied, but we have a gardener who comes and takes care the yard (about 1/2 acre with a dozen fruits trees) every other week.

We shut off the water in the house, so there shouldn't be any dripping water. But somehow according to the water dept record (meter?) the water usage shoot up periodically at random time and any money we pay in advance as credit run out and our gardener has to call us that we have a water problem.

The last time we were there we spoke with the water dept. and we were told that sometimes air bubbles get in and meter incorrectly registers because of that. So as recommended by the water dept, we put some kind of system which supposed to prevent the air bubbles as well as to lock the meter from tampering.

However, the problem hasn't been corrected and we got another call from the gardener.

We were wondering what is happening and what we can do to solve this on-going headache. I would like to note that our gardener is very trustworthy as he has worked for the previous owner of the house as well as other gringo houses in surrounding area. So I really doubt that he misuses the water.

I appreciate any thoughts and advice.

shari - 6-11-2010 at 11:17 AM

Do you have a meter on the incoming line?? Any possibility of neighbours "borrowing" water??? a drip system shoot the meter way up too I found out...so even a dripping hose might do it if left to drip for days.

It's tough if you arent here...also in our village, some days there is no water and someone might turn on the water or open the hose nozzel and then forget to turn it off when no water comes out...then when it does come on...it floods...one night of hose being left on will up your bill.

[Edited on 6-11-2010 by shari]

DENNIS - 6-11-2010 at 11:21 AM

Buy a Tenaco, a large plastic water tank.........fill it and let your gardner work out of that. Turn off all water to your property. Then, you'll have a good arguement with the water company.

BajaBlanca - 6-11-2010 at 11:28 AM

How often do you visit the house, Koala ? What does the gardener do, Dennis, if the water is off and the tinaca is empty? or are you thinking he would be responsible for filling it and then the neighbors can't use the hose ???? as well as if there is a leak, it will show up?

sounds like you need a house sitter for when you are gone, Koala

DENNIS - 6-11-2010 at 11:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by BajaBlanca
What does the gardener do, Dennis, if the water is off and the tinaca is empty? or are you thinking he would be responsible for filling it and then the neighbors can't use the hose ???? as well as if there is a leak, it will show up?



I don't know. I guess the gardner could turn on the water to fill the tank.
Actually, what better reason could one have to build a swimming pool. Next time they leave, all they have to do is hand the gardner a shovel and a box of bandaids. :biggrin:

AmoPescar - 6-11-2010 at 11:47 AM

My bet is on the neighbors siphoning off water

I've heard other VERIFIED stories of individuals AND even whole groups of neighbors teeing into water lines AND electric power to meet their own needs.

I think I would do some serious investigation of the incoming water line...after the water meter...to make sure that is has not been cut and tee'd into by neighbors.

Miguelamo :(

BajaBlanca - 6-11-2010 at 11:55 AM

Miguelamo where do you live ???? :o Mean nieghbors around, for sure

AmoPescar - 6-11-2010 at 12:28 PM

I DON'T LIVE IN BAJA and DON'T HAVE THE PROBLEM...

But as I said I've heard VERIFIED stories of this happening to individuals and in mass. There was a WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD in Tijuana that was stealing water and electicity (you can only imagine how unsafe the electrical connections were) to supply their needs. When it was found out and corrected, they simply hooked up again. Kind of like illegals being deported...they often are not out of the country for more than a day or two and then are back.


Miguelamo

DENNIS - 6-11-2010 at 12:33 PM

Mike is right. That's why I suggested turning off the water. Turn your neighbors into the Great Unwashed and your nose will explain everything to you.

Bob and Susan - 6-11-2010 at 02:45 PM

i think someone is "living" in the house:light::light:

you NEED an internet camera:light::light:

David K - 6-11-2010 at 02:52 PM

I may have missed this, but how is the gardener watering the trees if the property water is off?

Is only inside water use is charged, and a non-metered water source is used for the trees?

Air in the line can't pass through a meter if the valve after the meter is closed.

fishabductor - 6-12-2010 at 01:26 PM

I'm guessing that they turn off the water at the toilets, sinks...ect, but leave the hose bibs on for the gardener.

if neighbors are stealing:
Bob's idea of cameras would catch this.

get locking hose bibs installed.

Mikes story of stolen water is rampant in san jose too. The gringo gazette ran a cover story on this.

David K - 6-12-2010 at 01:37 PM

This is where I suggest an automatic (battery or 110v controller) drip irrigation system and eliminate the hand watering. If you can't lock your property from the thieving neighbors, then put lock boxes over irrigation valves and remove handles from hose bibs. Sadly, they can put a handle back on or use plyers to steal your water.

If there is a way to install the irrigation system on a branch line before the main line goes into the house, with a locking valve where it enters the house, then that is an option.

fishabductor - 6-12-2010 at 01:44 PM

good advice david...

however maybe the crooks work for the water company

David K - 6-12-2010 at 01:51 PM

Then there isn't much one can do, unless you have a pila, and a well to get water from.

fishabductor - 6-12-2010 at 01:58 PM

I like the rotoplast idea earlier.

hope you had a great trip, any other damage other than the bumper?

Bob and Susan - 6-13-2010 at 05:35 AM

kate it takes me one hour and a half
with a one inch hose from a "spigot"
to fill my 500 gallon "pipa"

a "normal" water "pipa" truck is 3500 gallons

let's do the math

3500 / 500 = 7

7 * 1.5 = 10.5 hours to fill a "pipa"

i think its something else over there

DENNIS - 6-13-2010 at 06:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan

a "normal" water "pipa" truck is 3500 gallons



Regular size around here is 2500 gallons and they travel eight miles from the wellhead. 400 Pesos is their charge to my place and it's 500, I think, over the hill to the Buf.

Bob...What are they charging in your area?

Bob and Susan - 6-13-2010 at 07:06 AM

$1000 pesos to $1500 pesos for the 3500 gal tankers

12 miles to the pump over the BIG hill

DENNIS - 6-13-2010 at 07:40 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
$1000 pesos to $1500 pesos for the 3500 gal tankers

12 miles to the pump over the BIG hill



OUCH....but waddya gonna do? I think I'd consider a 500 litre Tinaco in the back of a truck.
How do you fill your pool?

Bob and Susan - 6-13-2010 at 11:30 AM

i have a 500 gallon tank with a gas water pump

the pool averages 250 gallons a week
depending on the wind

takes 3 minutes to fill

no wind = no water needed
lot of wind = lots of water needed

the pool takes little
its the plants that use the water
but the timers limit the flow

i "combine functions" when i go to town to get water
hit the store for milk, bread etc

for me using $.42 usa a mile for gas and wear and tear
water adds up to about $.01 usa a gallon
not too bad...

fishabductor - 6-13-2010 at 11:48 AM

It's amazing how much water a pool loses with the wind, especially infinity pools like ours. We dump a pipa in about once a week. That is about 2500gal.

The pool holds 15 pipas or 37,500 gallons

The crooks could still partially fill a Pipa overnight, no one ever said they filled it to the brim. They could throw a hose or 2 in and walk away, come back 6 hours later and have several hundred gallons of water for free. It could just be a guy with 11000L rotoplas in the back of the truck making a trip or 2 a night.It could also be a neighbor with a pila that runs a hose from the house at night or even the day since you are gone.

The gardener is probably on a schedule. like water monday, wednesday, friday, sat pm/sun am...etc. It wouldn't take long to figure out. Our caretakers went to our home on a similar schedule and our house got emptied out by crooks...


[Edited on 6-13-2010 by fishabductor]

DENNIS - 6-13-2010 at 11:50 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
for me using $.42 usa a mile for gas and wear and tear
water adds up to about $.01 usa a gallon
not too bad...



No. Not too bad at all.

koala - 6-14-2010 at 09:58 AM

Wow! I am surprised to see so many good advice, suggestions, and stories!

To clarify, we shut off all the water valves in the house for the toilet, shower and so on so that we won't have any water sit around to breed mosquitoes or any other bugs. But we keep outside faucets on for the gardener. One is close to the road and another is by the shed which is hidden from the road. Either way a person (or people) have to come in through the gate to use any water.

I do hear water and electricity thefts in Mexico, but it is difficult to believe that will happen in my house. I may be too naive...., but our house is small and even simpler than the local neighbors' and the family next door seems to watch out the property too. It is hard to think our place will be the target of the water theft. Then again, the last time this happened was when we were away. . .

Currently we don't have any cable/DSL at the place, so once we hook up we will try to put up a camera and we are now considering about renting a place as well. Putting a lock in the outside faucets are great idea too and we will look into it when we get there the next time.

And who knows it is possible that our gardener forgets to shut off the water once a while. . .

DENNIS - 6-14-2010 at 11:11 AM

Don't you have a shut-off going into the meter? Your gardner can open and close it when he needs water, I'm sure.
Teach him how to read the meter so he can monitor it.

SteveD - 6-14-2010 at 11:29 AM

Before you go out and buy a tank or some other watering system you should do two things:

1. When no water is being used in the house check the water meter to see if any water is being used. When I had jumps in our water bill this is how I found a slow leak. It was the flapper valve in a toilet but it could be anything.

2. Start recording your meter readings when you arrive, when you leave and every few days. This should give you an idea as to your "normal" useage. Also, if your gardener is there when you are this will measure how much he uses.

If this confirms a big useage only while you are away then time to try one of the other suggestions.