Based on previous bills, he thought his household was "tracking along nicely". But he got a nasty shock when he received his latest 'real' bill and saw his use had more than quadrupled.
"Our bill went up from around $200 in the last quarter to around $1000 in our latest bill," said Jim.
"I knew we couldn't possibly have been watering the garden that much, so went hunting for the leak.
"It took me a while but eventually I found a split pipe out in our back paddock. During a normal summer I would have noticed all the water, but because of all the rain a soggy patch of grass didn't seem out of place."
Jim has now fixed the pipe and says he will be checking his water meter on a regular basis to keep an eye on his use.
Waipa water services manager Tony Hale said the community response since sending out mock bills has been largely positive.
"Many people have been pleasantly surprised that their costs were significantly less than expected," he said.
But he joined the mayor in urging residents to check for leaks in private pipes.
"Turn off all water using appliances and then check your water meter," he said.
"If the dial is spinning despite all the water at your property being off, it's likely you have a leak."
Fixing leaks in private pipes is the responsibility of property owners and Tony recommends contacting a registered plumber for advice.
"Leaks aren't always obvious as our own mayor has found. If your mock bill is higher than you expected, now's the time to get any issues sorted before the real bills kick in from July 1," he said.
Both said Council would work directly with households with abnormally high water use. It was in everyone's interest to drive water use down.
"We're here to help," said Tony.
"If you have any concerns give us a call and we can give you some really good tips on how to cut back on your use, and your bill."
¦For more information, visit www.waipadc.govt.nz/watermeters
