On 20/08/2012 18:53, MM wrote:
Came back at least two hours later to find I'd forgotten to turn off
the garden hose after watering the plants, then going shopping. It was
only on at a moderate flow -- more than a trickle, but significant.
I've just read the meter under the pavement and worked out
(extrapolating from my previous bill) how much has gone. The estimated
reading for 20/Aug/12 based on past consumption should be 446. The
actual reading is 448.68, so I've wasted over 2.5m³, which is a heck
of a lot. So I'm planning on emergency measures like all-over washes
instead of baths for the next three months.

But as I get older and more forgetful, is there a gadget I can fit to
either turn off the tap automatically or warn if it's left on?


Yup. Clockwork hose timer, adjustable up to 2 hours;

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Land.../sd3226/p49191

--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk