Agenda item

A report by the Services Manager (Property and Technical)

The portfolio holder presented the report to the committee, confirmation that following receipt of its annual financial reporting, BTAC had voiced concerns at the significant overspend against budget on the provision of Public Conveniences and requested a report providing a full breakdown of the costs and reasons for the overspend. During the financial year 2023/24 there had been two occasions when water consumption for two public conveniences in Boston were found to be unusual and unexpected and resulted in higher water bills than expected. To ensure a full understanding of matters at individual locations this report will deal with each location separately. On the 13^{th of} February 2024, the property team were informed by colleagues from the council’s finance team that a water utility bill for Bond Street Toilets for the period 10 November 2023 to 9 February 2024 had been received for the sum of £4,201, ten times more than expected. Average daily water consumption at the location prior to this date had been broadly similar with quarterly bill for the previous 12-month period averaging £401 per quarter. Officers from the council’s property team attended the location and commenced to take a set of daily meter readings for a period of a week to confirm detail of water consumption at the location to see if they could initially establish the volume of water being lost prior to initiating any leak detection measures. During this period of monitoring officers were able to establish that the water consumption was identical to previous consumption periods. This indicated that there was no water leak present at the location. Monitoring since this unusual water bill has indicated consumption is in line with the average of £401 per quarter.                         Having monitored water consumption since the alleged period of excessive use average water consumption remains static at pre-November 2023 levels. Anglian Water were asked if the water meter at the location could have developed a fault that caused the excessive consumption. They advised that that was not possible and that it did not require replacement.

Officers are simply unable to offer any rational explanation for the excessive consumption during the period 27^th November 2023 and 27^th January 2024 based on the fact that Anglian Water do not accept that there could possibly have been any meter issue, and equally, there was no evidence during the period of any automatic stop valve failure on the cisterns, taps or other visible water supply.

Property colleagues were alerted to a notable increase in supply costs in September 2023. The water supply at this location feeds several locations throughout Central Park in addition to the toilet block, including the aviary and a mess room used by council staff. Careful checks and monitoring of the area upon notification failed to detect any obvious areas where a leak was taking place. Between September and October 2023, both property staff and the Council’s maintenance contractor undertook visual and physical investigations but did not identify and escape of water. In November 2023 officers commissioned Wave Utilities specialist leak detection team to trace the entire water system in the Park; after extensive testing they identified a leak in the supply pipe that carried water underneath the aviary to the staff mess room.  Given the cost of excavating the entire lengthy of pipe buried in the aviary floor, the supply was disconnected with a new surface supply being installed within the aviary. These works were undertaken at a cost of £5,970. The leak detection team conducted further testing post works completion and have been able to determine that all leaks at the location had been resolved. The total cost for water consumption at this location for 23/24 was £40,421. As a result of the recommended works being undertaken water consumption for April to June 2024 was significantly reduced to £2,382 (extrapolated that would give an annual estimated consumption of £9,531) going forwards. Given that a leak was found, officers are engaging Anglian Water to seek a refund of charges paid on the basis that the attendant sewerage charges within the bills paid are related to the total water drawn. As the water leaked into the ground and could not be discharged as sewerage or otherwise into the foul drainage system, it is a line that should definitely be pursued.

Committee deliberation followed which included:

Following concerns raised by members at the failure to resolve the issue of the excess charge, the Buildings and Property Services Manager advised that he would attempt to open further discourse with Anglian Water to see if there was any opportunity to discuss the matter further. 

The Leader of the Council further offered to consult with the new Chief Executive of Anglian Water on the matter.

In response to questions tabled in respect of the schedule of readings of the metres and the potential need to increase it, the Buildings and Property Services Manager advised that metre readings were submitted quarterly and if a problem was identified then it was acted on. 

Boston had a considerable number of metres across the town and the department did not have sufficient resources to enable it to be more pro-active and undertake monthly readings.  Members were further advised that it was possible to introduce an automatic reading facility which included monitoring of consumption along with other data provision (which was being considered by ELDC) and estimates had indicated a cost of £1000 per metre per year which Boston currently did not have a budget for.

Concern also noted the age of the existing water system in Boston and the potential need to look at a full replacement over a period of years.

Referencing the type of taps used at the facilities, a member was reassured that they were of a ‘push down’ operation ensuring the taps turned themselves off.  Members were further advised that operatives checked all the toilet sites on a regular basis throughout the day.

On questioning any other water supply into Central Park which may have been made available to any events organisers, a member was advised that there was a tap, but it was behind a secured gate.

A further questioned sought confirmation of the tap at the Ingram Memorial monument, seeking confirmation that it was a metered tap and the Buildings and Property Services Manager advised he would investigate and let committee know.

RESOLVED:

1. That the Buildings and Property Services Manager to attempt to open discourse with Anglian Water in respect of the over charge.
2. That the Leader of the Council correspond with the Chief Executive of Anglian Water in relation to the over charge.

That the Buildings and Property Services Manager identify if the tap within the Ingram Memorial is on a metre.