Crazy water consumption

Pensioner could have gone swimming 30,000 times

A Waldviertel resident in the municipality of Brand-Nagelberg had astronomical water consumption.

(Bild: Manuel Schwaiger)

A Waldviertel resident is said to consume 5.3 million liters of water a year. Given the circumstances, even expert Stefan Zach has few possible explanations for this. However, he does give tips on how to avoid a horrendous 10,000 euro bill like that of the 82-year-old.

The case of the astronomically high water bill in the municipality of Brand-Nagelberg in the district of Gmünd is also before the Administrative Court. An 82-year-old man had a water consumption of 5.3 million liters in one year, threatening him with a 10,000 euro water bill. An average two-person household consumes around 100,000 liters.

220 days with the garden hose fully turned on
EVN expert Stefan Zach also considers the case to be bizarre, but possible. It would not be an isolated case in the country, but: "This normally only happens when the meter is installed at the start of the garden and the pipe to the house suddenly has a large leak," says Zach. He is also puzzled by the meter in the cellar, as a tap would have to be fully turned on for almost 450 days to consume this amount of water. Only the garden hose would be an option - it could carry twice the amount, which is around 220 days.

Check the meter monthly. If you are not sure whether everything is correct, turn off all consumers and check the meter. If it is still running, then there is a leak somewhere.

Stefan Zach, Konzernsprecher der EVN

Bild: EVN

Flush the toilet 380,000 "big" times
Further comparisons: The pensioner could bathe around 30,000 times or go to the loo a big 380,000 times. However, with figures in the millions of liters, the water would have to flow directly into the sewer, otherwise the undermined soil would quickly become visible.