Reply to: Oh Dear: You're gonna luv this one... brighten up your Monday....

[Peoplesoft bloke]

I remember a chap who was designing a non contact radio water meter reading thingie for Thames Water (I think it was) about 16 years or so ago.

I wonder whatever happened to that.

I've got one. That bloke in Holland (or was it Germany) with the automated house has too, he uses the sender to update his water consumption in real(ish) time.

[RichardCranium]

Is it because RC didn't mention the standard interpretations of quantum mechanics to explain the ostensible paradox as a fundamental property of the Universe, while alternative interpretations explain the duality as an emergent, second-order consequence of various limitations of the observer in the classical concepts like "particle" and "wave" to fully describe the behaviour of quantum-scale objects such as light emitted from a torch?

Oh, not again.

Sorry.

[minestrone]

In Scotland we have Scottish water with no meters, a public body that produces the lowest quality water for the highest personal cost to consumers in the UK.

[hyperD]

Can anybody spot the flaw in the above statement?

Is it because RC didn't mention the standard interpretations of quantum mechanics to explain the ostensible paradox as a fundamental property of the Universe, while alternative interpretations explain the duality as an emergent, second-order consequence of various limitations of the observer in the classical concepts like "particle" and "wave" to fully describe the behavior of quantum-scale objects such as light emitted from a torch?

[RichardCranium]

Can anybody spot the flaw in the above statement?

Have I made an arse of myself?

The water meter lids I was referring to:

[Churchill]

A water meter is a small dial with tiny numbers in a small round plastic affair with a shiny and reflective clear glass cover under some gravel and mud which is at the bottom of a three feet deep narrow hole in the middle of the pavement or driveway outside your home under a unremovable circular lid indistinguishable from the other five identical and unmarked lids alongside it.

When you do find the little bastard, then get the lid off wrecking a screwdriver your fingernails and your trousers, then clear the tulipe out of the bottom, then discover you have to use a torch to see the dial but because the cover is reflective you can't actually shine the torch down the hole and read the meter, then work out which is yours (you on the mobile and the missus on the phone by a tap, turning it off and on to make the meter start & stop so you can identify it), then have to stop because someone with a push chair needs to get past, then just get really fukcing angry, put the lid back on and phone the water company and tell them no, you can't read the meter for them after all.

HTH

Can anybody spot the flaw in the above statement?

[RichardCranium]

What is a water meter? Seriously.

Is it's like a gas meter or something? Is this like for bottled water on tap?

A water meter is a small dial with tiny numbers in a small round plastic affair with a shiny and reflective clear glass cover under some gravel and mud which is at the bottom of a three feet deep narrow hole in the middle of the pavement or driveway outside your home under a unremovable circular lid indistinguishable from the other five identical and unmarked lids alongside it.

When you do find the little bastard, then get the lid off wrecking a screwdriver your fingernails and your trousers, then clear the tulipe out of the bottom, then discover you have to use a torch to see the dial but because the cover is reflective you can't actually shine the torch down the hole and read the meter, then work out which is yours (you on the mobile and the missus on the phone by a tap, turning it off and on to make the meter start & stop so you can identify it), then have to stop because someone with a push chair needs to get past, then just get really fukcing angry, put the lid back on and phone the water company and tell them no, you can't read the meter for them after all.

HTH

[DimPrawn]

We're flogging off all the public owned forests now.

Government plans huge sell-off of Britain's forests - UK Politics, UK - The Independent


This is what happens following a Labour government that effectively has bankruped the country under so much debt it's is almost impossible for this country to survive.

The debt has to be paid.

Hopefully they'll flog off all the oxygen over Labour strongholds soon.

[DaveB]

He's right you know.

Most of the water infrastucture was built by the Councils.

And was stolen off them by one of the Tory regimes.

Grocer Ted the Teeth's I seem to recall.

According to Wikipedia the first go at it was in 1947 after WWII. The government passed the Water Act to enable it to order the 900 odd independent water suppliers to amalgamate and meet certain standards of supply under the direction of local councils.

In 1973 (Heath?) they had another bash and created the regional water boards under direct state control which persisted until Maggie sold them off in the 80's along with the electricity boards, which had been through much the same process.

[xoggoth]

Suits me as I don't wash very often.

[hyperD]

Water meters? Bah, at this rate I'm going to have to homebrew my own water and recycle my urine.

[Paddy]

How long ago was the water industry privatised? How much capital investment has it seen since privatisation?

They've had a long time to upgrade their "victorian infrastructure" and allegedly the amount of water lost as a result of mains leaks is a not insignificant percentage of the amount of water this country uses. Isn't it time they got their own houses in order?

Privatisation was badly drafted. The water companies sold off land to land developers belonging to water company directors.

[Paddy]

How old are you?

83

... just gone to make a cup of tea. What were we talking about?

[TykeMerc]

How long ago was the water industry privatised? How much capital investment has it seen since privatisation?

They've had a long time to upgrade their "victorian infrastructure" and allegedly the amount of water lost as a result of mains leaks is a not insignificant percentage of the amount of water this country uses. Isn't it time they got their own houses in order?

[Paddy]

In my new place water is metered - I estimate this cuts my water bills by around 75% compared to last place with estimated cost.

and if all households saved 75% do you think the water companies would accept a 75% drop in income?