wrote in message
ups.com...

I'm still tempted by the idea, I've got a spare cistern valve on a
drinking
trough somewhere, I can't think where it is at the mo, I'll maybe have a
look for it later. Thanks for the (one or two) helpful replies!

Julian.

Your "2 cistern" proposal would break the law by deliberately
contriving to cause
the meter to read incorrectly:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations 1999

PART II

REQUIREMENTS

Restriction on installation etc. of water fittings

(2) No water fitting shall be installed, connected, arranged or used
in such a manner that it causes or is likely to cause-

(i) waste, misuse, undue consumption or contamination of water
supplied by a water undertaker; or

(ii) the erroneous measurement of water supplied by a water
undertaker.


Fancy that.

This afternoon I've just been spraying out docks and ragwort in a field, and
one of the nags had just had a drink out of a trough as I passed close by.
The trough is (very roughly) about 50 gallons in capacity and as a rule a
horse will drink about half a gallon at a go. So, the level was only down by
about one or two millimetres and the ball cock valve was just filling at a
very fast drip. I 'downed tools' and ran over to the meter to observe, and
just as I thought, it wasn't turning.

Now that I am aware that I (aided and abetted by a friend's horse) have
pinched water IAW the following:

(2) No water fitting shall be installed, connected, arranged or used
in such a manner that it causes or is likely to cause-

(i) waste, misuse, undue consumption or contamination of water
supplied by a water undertaker; or

(ii) the erroneous measurement of water supplied by a water
undertaker.

I wonder what you suggest I should do. We actually have about 5 troughs on
the property and they all are only likely to ever fill at a slow rate due to
horse's drinking habits. If you wish to draft a letter of enquiry for me
I'll gladly forward it to United Ut's.


Julian.