Water Toby security

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Water Toby security

Gordy7

1744 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#299203 20-Aug-2022 13:24

I have read that criminals may turn off water mains at the Toby to see if anyone at home responds (as well as turning off mains power).

How do you go about securing or preventing access to the Toby and water meter box?

Securing the Toby box may also prevent this disgusting type of event:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/125169685/mans-dump-in-water-mains-toby-shocks-timaru-woman

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

1 | 2

19385 posts

Uber Geek

#2956913 20-Aug-2022 13:31

You could install a different box as they just pull out. But the council owns it and it is usually on council land.

But if that story of thing is occurring, NZ has some serious problems.

MightyApe

You will find anything you want at MightyApe (affiliate link).

Stu

Hammered
7445 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2956964 20-Aug-2022 14:09

The more this sort of training material is in the media and on social media, the more idiots will give it a go.

Keep calm, and carry on posting.

Referral Links: Sharesies - Backblaze -

Are you happy with what you get from Geekzone? If so, please consider supporting us by subscribing.

No matter where you go, there you are.

Ge0rge

1711 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#2956970 20-Aug-2022 14:56

How's the council going to read the meter if you have locked the box up?

shanes

242 posts

Master Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2956971 20-Aug-2022 15:36

Ge0rge: How's the council going to read the meter if you have locked the box up?

Ours looks similar and is read remotely.

Jase2985

12348 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2956972 20-Aug-2022 15:38

shanes:

Ge0rge: How's the council going to read the meter if you have locked the box up?

Ours looks similar and is read remotely.

where in the country is this?

Gordy7

1744 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2956973 20-Aug-2022 15:39

Ge0rge: How's the council going to read the meter if you have locked the box up?

It is a wireless meter readable with a SensusRF Radio.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Gordy7

1744 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2956974 20-Aug-2022 15:41

Jase2985:

where in the country is this?

Northern Hawkes Bay - Wairoa District.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

gzt

15205 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2956975 20-Aug-2022 15:58

Unusual scenario You'd have to be away for a week or more.

How do you go about securing or preventing access to the Toby and water meter box?

Plastic. Rivet a hinge on the inside. Drill a hole and padlock the other side. That's enough to stop some random. Anything more, you need to get a stainless steel box and all that jazz

gzt

15205 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2956976 20-Aug-2022 16:02

Removing the plastic handle or some tricky means to lock it in place might help.

Gordy7

1744 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2956980 20-Aug-2022 16:16

gzt: Unusual scenario You'd have to be away for a week or more.

How do you go about securing or preventing access to the Toby and water meter box?

Plastic. Rivet a hinge on the inside. Drill a hole and padlock the other side. That's enough to stop some random. Anything more, you need to get a stainless steel box and all that jazz

Good idea.

I had thought of a adding few self tapping security screws between the lid and the box just to increase the difficulty to remove the lid.

It would at least slow down access.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

mattwnz

19385 posts

Uber Geek

#2957030 20-Aug-2022 17:09

I would check with the council because they may not permit you do to anything. eg What happens if they need to switch off your water urgently. I am guessing that is one reason they are accessible. There are quite a few companies that sell these sorts of frames and lidshttps://pandi.co.nz/products/surface-boxes-covers?sort=latest&slug=surface-boxes-covers&page=1 but none I can see are lockable or can only be opened with a special tool.

Maybe having a camera of the area, so you can see if someone has tampered with it if the water goes off.

neb

8906 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2957031 20-Aug-2022 17:11

Gordy7:
I have read that criminals may turn off water mains at the Toby to see if anyone at home responds (as well as turning off mains power).

How do you go about securing or preventing access to the Toby and water meter box?

Find a quiet, sunny room away from traffic noise. Play some background audio, maybe wind chimes or gentle rain. Sit in a comfy chair, close your eyes, and breathe slowly in an out. Focus on your breathing. Say to yourself "They're not out to get me. They're not out to get me". Focus on your breathing a bit more, and listen to the chimes or rain.

Then take your partner out to dinner or do something nice for a neighbour. There are far bigger things to worry about then bogeymen fiddling with your water tap.

Bung

5438 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2957034 20-Aug-2022 17:22

As you get older you usually need to pee often enough to know fairly quickly that the water is off even if you only drink stuff that comes in bottles or cans.

Eva888

1779 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2957044 20-Aug-2022 18:17

What about a piece of fake turf and use garden pins to spike it into the dirt to make it less conspicuous. I have a thin piece of slate over mine because it gets covered in dirt and then grass grows over it and I don’t remember where it is exactly when chaos happens and the plumber needs to turn it off.

Scotdownunder

190 posts

Master Geek

Subscriber

#2957289 21-Aug-2022 15:36

Security through obscurity then ? 🤔

1 | 2