let you in a little secret, but don't tell him, please.

Snap! I did almost the exact same thing about a week ago, drew back the bedroom curtains in the morning, realised the hose was snaking across the garden to the dry flower bed and then worked out I had left it on all night. Luckily only very slightly on, but we do have a meter. I zoomed downstairs as fast as possible, turned it off and coiled the hose up quickly. By the time DH came down I was serenely pouring out tea with an innocent expression on my face. The art of living harmoniously together is knowing when to remain silent!

High fives SunnySusie- partner in crime , pheeew x

chrissyh- but that is the very point- the amount is NOT the same annually- if I leave the gardent tap full on for the evening, all night and part of morning - it will be much higher !
And we get half year bills- no facilities for paying monthly. Off on hols now for 2 weeks (Southern Tuscany, our 13th visit this year, since we exchanged then bought 1 week timeshare there- spending 1 week before in the Hôtel part using points)- so will save water hey (but not money ahahaha)

I don't mean to be unkind or judgemental but surely the point here is that so much water has been wasted . Whether our water bills are metered or not...surely we should all be more worried about looking after our planet than a high bill. I understand that we all hide mistakes and stuff we've done inadvertantly or not inadvertently from our partners/husband's (and l have several) but l cannot find the humour in a whole night of water running away for no reason. Sorry if l seem a goody two shoes....but surely l am not the only one reading this post that feels as l do .

Dear Mr Jura,

I have information which may be of great interest to you and may even save you money in the long run but in order to impart it I need a little sweetener aka dosh.
I'm not a greedy sort of bloke, I'm only asking for what you might pay on your next water bill, f'rinstance.

Meet me in Willow Park between 10pm and 10:30 with
the readies in used notes.
I'll be the one in the mac and trilby (the other blokes similarly dressed are only on the lookout for nervy old ladies.)
TELL NO ONE, you never know it might get onto Gransnet and Facebook and that would be disastrous!

Sid the Perv Perp.

My water tap is right next to a public walkway and when I first came here, children had a cheeky habit of turning it on as they passed. It cost me a fortune I did not have so it was paid off in instalments over a year!

But I arranged to have the tap's top taken off, so no one one can turn it without a special key which slots in, replacing the handle. Problem solved.

Totally get you about the water- for sure. As you know, it was totally inadvertent- and I will make sure it won't happen again. I am very careful with water, showers only, wash everyday clothes on short washes at 30C, never water the lawn, etc, etc. Fortunately, water is not in short supply here in the Jura though, so don't feel so bad.

Poor Mr Jura, the nearest Willow Park is about 800 miles away, ahahaha.

I don't think the cost of water is that high. We had a pool ten years ago and was on a water meter. We had a new liner fitted and it took several days to fill the pool (10metres x 5 metres) 10 ft deep end. It was certainly higher than usual....but nothing mind blowing.

Jura2....That's good to hear that you have plenty of water where you live and that it has not made much impact on the wastage of a night's water tap running unnecessarily.. X

I once cleaned the stepping stones around our pond with bleach, unfortunately some bleach went into the pond. I said nothing, and the fish survived! Yay! Got away with that one then

I can't understand the logic of hiding your spending or bills or mistakes from the person you live with, presumably love and with whom you share your life.
I certainly never did and he always got an honest answer to any questions.
Anything less made a mockery of our love and commitment.

Bags no fluoride here from southern water in South Hampshire. We had it in Birmingham. ( nothing to do with ponds or keeping secrets. )