Frequently asked questions

What are the water charges this year?

The fixed charge for 2019/20 is $222.00 per annum per separately used or inhabited part of a rating unit, charged at a daily rate of $0.6065 ($215.00 last year).
The volumetric charge for 2019/20 is $1.19 per cubic metre ($1.14 last year).

What will the increased charges look like on an average water bill?
To give you an example: water charges of $472.37 for a family of four in 2018/19 would become $489.75 this year if they used the same amount of water - an increase of 33 cents a week. In the same comparison, a couple paying $306.69 last year would pay $317.71 this year - an increase of 21 cents a week.

What do water charges pay for?
They cover capturing and treating water, pumping it to households and businesses around the district, and maintaining the water supply network (i.e. upgrading/renewing pipes and pumps etc).

Have water charges caused water use to decrease?
Yes. Just like others parts of the country and the world that have introduced water meters, our average consumption has reduced by about 20%. This is because people can see how much water they’re using and it now has a value. Meters have also detected hundreds of leaks on private pipes around the district. Fixing these has meant millions of litres of water are no longer being wasted.

If total water charges for the district are more than the cost of providing a treated water supply in any one year, what happens to the extra money?
If there is a surplus of overall water charges, these will be retained in the account for water services i.e. any surplus created from water rates will not be used to pay for other council services or projects.