High water consumption

[Rach.l]

We did calculate the water usage. I can't remember exact amount. But we had one night when no one was in the building except for 1 person. Probably using the toilet and making a cup of tea. So i took a reading that evening and again in the morning and we had used around 13,000Lts.

 

[Rach.l]

Yep that's what I mean it's not possible. surveyor said it was like a hose pipe on full 24 hours a day.

 

[Dotty]

If the toilets have internal overflows I'd begin with them....

 

[Rach.l]

That might be but it's been going on for over a year. Beginning of September everyone moved out and I checked early morning when the building was compketely empty checking every riser listening to drain and soil pipes, there was nothing, you could hear a drip. We found 1 toilet overflowing a tiny bit. That was it.

 

[stani]

Urinals if not set correctly

 

[Rach.l]

Thanks yes I've done that all ok.

 

[Rach.l]

Thanks but no urinals.

 

[joni os]

Rach, to be honest this isn't something you're going to get to the bottom of until term end and the building is temporarily empty.

I had something similar years ago. Turned out to be a student that used to leave her tap on because she thought it improved the humidity....

Reminds me of overseas nurse who complained heating not working in middle of summer heatwave. Turned out she required the heating to make yogurt.

 

[Rach.l]

So just think if my building is water tight and I believe it is. What is it I have missed. I know this building really well and I am completely baffled.

 

[Chalked]

I would start by isolating different areas and have somone reading the meter.

 

[snowhead]

For a building of that size I would have thought the meter would have a pulse output.
This can be monitored constantly and show when most usage occurs.

eg ; Crucible Technologies - Home

Failing that,

Check the meter every hour through a 24hr period.

Plus,
Does each riser have it's own isolation valve?

If so, someone watch the meter, someone turn off each riser 1 at a time.
The flow through the meter will disappear when the guilty riser is found.
It won't affect the users if you turn the riser off and then straight back on.
Maybe do it early, before 10 am before the students get up !!

Then track down users on the guilty riser.
If it's spread over all risers, you must have normal consumption and the other building has extremely low consumption.

PS beaten to some of it by Chalked

 

[Joncpi]

Is it possible there is a irrigation system you are not aware of? Or more simply an outside tap perhaps fed underground?
Is there a fire extinguisher system?
If possible isolate each riser to find the one using this water. If no isolation valves, fit some. Then isolate in turn in order to narrow down your search.
I have had an overflow pipe leaking into the cavity, impossible to detect until I checked every single overflow visually.
Is there a pipe running in a cavity somewhere? I know there shouldn't be but I am never suprised by builders!