New Lapta Water Meters

[Leither]

Received our new smart card water meter this morning,no paperwork,no instructions whatsoever,anybody got any ideas.

Leither

[Smiler]

If it is anything like the one we have just had installed by Girne Belediye then you need to go and pay for some credit to be put on the card they hopefully gave you with the meter. Then you hold the card against the meter (ours has a little slot on the side to hold it in place) and press the button on the top of the meter which will read the credit and open the valve to allow water through.

[laptatony]

You get a small amount set on installation. You then go to Lapta Belediye with copy of your Kocan, contract or rent agreement, copy of identification and purchase more water, at this point they give you a card you put in the slot at the back of the meter, press the small black button and hey presto you are away. We received the instructions in Turkish and a list of other charges you have to pay through the year. If you run out of credit the meter automatically cuts the water off, so it is up to you to watch your meter and usage.

[Muad_dib]

Hope you have better luck than us LT,we were given 3 tonnes on installation then paid 25 TL for another 10 tonnes(the minimum you can put on)came back put the card in as the picture shows you,nothing.We finally got someone round from the water dept today,he said everything ok you've used 9 tonnes,in 10 days since installation,we then pointed out that we have been ill in bed for the last week so not used much water and anyway if he checks his records we only use 2 to 3 tonnes a month,have done so for years.Basically he said tough,you've used it the meter says so and i'm not giving you any credit so GOOD LUCK

[kedikat2903]

Could someone list what each different amount means on the meter? We weren't given any instructions. There are four or five different amounts and we're not sure which one tells us how much we've used or how much is left. Thanks

[solic200]

So how can you get a card if the owner is away and a friend looks after the house.

[JBA]

Does anyone know if it is possible to pre-register?

My friends will be here for 1 week shortly and not back again until November - in the meantime the villa is quite heavily booked. Although there is no new meter yet they are worried what will happen to guests if the meter is changed while they are away.

[Col]

Whilst being a bind this could be the way to stop the "air readings". Last year we had a reading one month saying we had used 180 tons.

[wanderer]

Why would it stop the air readings

[kedikat2903]

Definitely does not stop air coming through !!

[meldy]

Here's hoping they come and change meters around us soon as there is a considerable water leak beside us that has not been fixed despite numerous phone calls and visits by at least 3 residents affected. As the water is running into our garden it is getting well watered, something I might be happier about in July or August!

[squashmad]

These meters do not stop air in them also if you have a leak, it is ok if it is on the opposite side of the meter to your property.

We had workmen further up the road and did not realise that they had disconnected the water pipes then once they reconnected small pieces of rubble and soil came down the pipe which in turn damaged the meter which in turn meant we had to buy yet another meter!

On the whole, I agree with them once you understand how they work - they will cut out unpaid bills by many and I think it will only be a matter of time before the Kibtek goes onto using meters for our electric!

[wanderer]

Will they put the government offices on these prepay cards if they are so good as they are the main ones that don't pay
Their bills by amount owed

[tomsteel]

Has anybody had one instated recently in the area Lapta - Bahceli (ie Girne district) and if so, what was the set up cost please? I have heard Esentepe will be charging 1000 TL plus VAT of 16% - 1160 TL before a drop of H2O enters the house, I don't think so!!

Thanks for any replies.

[sophie]

tomsteel. Are they really expecting locals on basic minimum to pay that amount, assuming they become compulsory?

Just think, the Irish were marching in their thousands in Dublin last week because they are going to have to pay for water from now on!!

[tomsteel]

Sophie, I suspect there will a local price and a yabanci price, like most other services here. I quote para 23 of Esentepe Municipality Prepaid Water Meter Subscription Agreement (English Version) available from the Beli. "Administration installs a Pre-Paid Smart Water Meter in exchange for 1000tl + 16% VAT. If there were to be a system change in the future; the administration will not refund any fees over the amount, if the amount is higher than the administration will bill the difference." Quoted Ver Batam! To me that reads, 1160 Tl up front for the proposed system, plus whatever the cost per tonne of H2O will be. If the system is updated in the future and costs more, the user will be billed the difference.

I am unsure of the conditions of local, non-expat, users Agreement. I am, however, local to the area and on a pension with no opportunity to gain a work permit to even get the 'basic miniumum.' To date we are on tanker supply - long may that continue if I am expected to cough up such an extortiant sum.

[laptatony]

We had a new prepaid meter installed in Lapta, guess what free of charge Went to Beleidye and purchased 50tl of water,registered it on meter, well done Lapta. I have never understood why the "council tax" is so cheap considering the services we receive. I can only state on the services we have received, sure some others have a different view.

[tomsteel]

laptatony, thank you for answering my original enquiry. Interesting!

[mikelapta]

Yes 3rd March went and regıstered,got my card,and paıd 50tl on credıt,accordıng to the form I had,that should keep me goıng untıl May..But today,I have no water !!!!So ıs ıt unıversal ın Lapta?They have my phone no.a message ıs desırable ıf there ıs a problem wıth servıce.I have only used water for showers and washıng machıne.....how do I know where problem ıs?Anyone else ın Lapta,waterless?

[Col]

Come on keep up, they would stop air and water automatically when the credit runs out. That is what they are designed to do, you are able to put a limit on the meter to stop the enormous one off bills when it happens.

[wanderer]

It appears that 50 tl has given mike 21 days of water
so what do you do go down and recharge your card
If I've been away for a month do I come back to no water and have to wait till they open
what happens at weekends
what happens at bayram
At present my bank pays every month
Is the card progress

[mikelapta]

No wanderer,when I got credıt card 3 weeks ago,I paıd untıl May...My problem...ıs there a water problem?no supply??? Before 'thıs credıt card' we had 10ton water for mınımum charge....Now 50tl for 3 weeks(ıf there ıs no problem)ıs a lıttle over the top !!!

[wanderer]

Mike thanks for that
So I could pay 150tl and have 6 month use
how much water would be the limit
As i' away for months I don't want to come back and no water
Can you explain or somebody explain how it works
Just want to understand what's down the line

[Leither]

I posted this question because all these above problems that people are having is because the Beledye didn"t look into the problems that fitting these types of meters would cause.I have asked my TC neighbours they do not have a clue how the system works and will use their wells rather than try and work Namsoys new system out.What about the swallows what do they do 6 month down the line when they arrive,its all a bag of worms what does Namsoy care he"ll soon be gone.

[snd1966]

I use these meters in bellapais and apart from the fact you always have to purchase 10 units they are simple to use. For people who regularly use water I go every month to the Muhtar's office and ask for the minimum which is the same cost as a girne water bill I then put the card in the meter and put the credit on the meter which increases by 10. The downside you can store lots of credit on the meter, if you ever have a leak you will lose it if not noticed quickly. The card has an emergency 5 units therefore if you do run out you can use it until the offices open. I personally tend to credit the card once I load to the meter therefore have credit on the card for 31 days. For people who do not use much water I go every 4 months and put 10 units on, this enables me to pay the municipality charges that are normally on the bill and do build up if the card is not used. To check how many units press the button with out the card in the meter one reading should be the total amount used and the other how many units left.

[snd1966]

I should of added the more water you use in a month the higher the rate hence why I go down monthly for regular users instead of putting 40 units on when I do the others.

[wanderer]

So if you go away for 6 months and leave 11 units on the m would you have no units other than your 5 emergency units and what's left of a tank of water to use when you return?
Also the charging cards are they like a top up for the phone disposable or something that you guard that is unique to the pump
You also mention the community charges so these could still go out on direct debit or left unpaid till you next top up the water

[Retired]

OMG - hope they are running an Induction Course for OAP's!

[snd1966]

So if you go away for 6 months and leave 11 units on the m would you have no units other than your 5 emergency units and what's left of a tank of water to use when you return?
Also the charging cards are they like a top up for the phone disposable or something that you guard that is unique to the pump
You also mention the community charges so these could still go out on direct debit or left unpaid till you next top up the water

if no water is used the 11 units stay on the meter 5 on the card and the tank its how you left it but if you went and put another 10 units on the card you would have 6 months of the other things that are on the present bill to be paid. In Girne the community charges are added when you have water therefore if you only used 10 units a year and only top the card yearly expect a large bill as the utilities will be x 12

[snd1966]

At present I have 2 meters with over 196 units credit, the owners do not want to owe anything so I credit 10 units every 4 months and the water credit soon builds up. 1 with 5 units but with a 500tl utility bill, and another 65 units and 200tl utility bill. The rest tend to use about 2 units in the winter but in the summer its used therefore they get credited every month so I do not have to pay at the higher rate. I do understand if I need water at either of these houses I have to pay hence why they have tied water up with the utilities. Luckily until I need water I can pay the village rates separately for the year which are now monthly on the card.

[wanderer]

sand 1966
I think I've got it and thank you for explaining I appreciate your help
At present I pay for water I don't use along with the lighting refuse etc on the bill monthly through the bank might be a couple of weeks late due to timing but every month the moneys there for the council
So if I top my water up when I'm in Cyprus the water credit carries forward and I save money by not paying for water I don't use GOOD
The council instead of being overpaid for water not used which they can use to offset other village costs only gets the lights refuse paid two or three times a year if I am there that often worsening their cash flow.
Who was the genius who though this up
Is it going into every council area or just Lapta and Bellapais

PS do I need the same card to top the water up or is it like a phone top card disposable if not what happens if I loose it?

[JBA]

I don't have a water meter but I presume I will still need a card to enable payment of the other charges - although these are negligible if you don't have a water meter.

[Muad_dib]

We only pay for water on our new card,all other monthly charges we pay through the bank.