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Your water bill

Your water usage account is sent in April, August and December each year after your meter has been read. Every drop of water that passes through your meter is charged (this is known as a 'user pays system).

Water is charged at a rate per 1,000 litres as set out in Council's Revenue Policy each year with the rate changing for the billing period following the July reading.

Pension rebates

Eligible pensioners will have the pension rebate applied to their water and sewer access charges within their annual rates.

Water meter replacement program

Water meters are mechanical devices and with age they wear and reduce in accuracy. In most cases, the error will be in favour of the customer as some of the flow passes through the meter undetected due to worn clearances and/or a fouled mechanism, particularly at low flows. We have found that some older meters can read as much as 20% less than a new meter. A customer with an older meter can pay less for the same amount of water consumed as a customer with a new meter which is reading accurately. This is not a question of lost revenue as Council sets the water usage price to recover the long-term running costs of the water supply system but is a question of equity.

Water meter companies and water utilities have carried out significant sampling and testing to determine the optimum age or usage to prompt replacement.

Since August 2013, Council has been undertaking a water meter replacement program replacing standard 20mm water meters when they reach 10-12 years of age or exceed usage of 5,000 Kilolitres. There are approximately 28,000 water meters in the system and we are replacing about 2000 (including approximately 500 failed meters) per annum. Once the program is complete, replacing water meters at 10-12 years or 5,000 kilolitres will become routine.

There is no charge to you if your property's water meter is replaced as part of this program. New water meters provide accurate readings and quality information about usage. They also make leak detection easier.

Water and sewer access charges

All property owners pay this contribution, including vacant land because the infrastructure is available if needed. These charges are included in your rates notice. Your rates notice is sent in July every year, with payments due in August, November, February, and May.

Residential premises pay an annual access charge, and non-residential premises pay an annual access charge plus a usage charge based on a proportion of their water use.

  • Refer to the webpage about your rates for more information.

Sewerage usage charges for business properties are listed on your water usage account.

Liquid trade waste charges are also listed on water usage accounts for business' operating and discharging trade waste to council sewers.

Get electronic water notices

You can register to get your rates and water notices by email, via eNotices. This option also lets you link multiple properties, see your notice history, and add a second recipient for your water usage accounts (like a managing agent for rental properties).

Update your details

If you have moved it is important to update your address details with Council so that you will continue to receive your notices and any other important correspondence.

Council’s water charges structure complies with the Regulatory and Assurance Framework for Local Water Utilities issued by the Department of Planning and Environment. Under this framework, and to be eligible for a government subsidy, Council must have a ‘user pays’ system, so high-volume water users will pay more than those who use less.