Residential water prices
Residential water prices
Regardless of where our customers live, or the cost of providing services, state-wide pricing means most of our customers pay the same price for water. Whether you live in a metropolitan or regional area, you pay the same price per kilolitre as every other residential customer in the state, no matter how much it costs to supply the water to you.
Residential prices apply to properties including houses, maisonettes, home units, retirement homes, flats and strata/community title residences and vacant land.
Water charges are made up of two parts:
- A fixed charge for water supply.
- A variable charge for water use – the more you use, the more you pay.
Prices for all three tiers of water use and the supply charge have increased by 4.8 per cent (subject to rounding).
Water supply charge
The 2023-24 annual charge for having water supplied to your home is $296.80, billed at $74.20 per quarter.
Water use prices
In 2023-24 the following tiered charges apply.
| Tier | Use price | Price per litre | Daily threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $2.126/kL | $0.002126 | 0 to 383.6 L |
| 2 | $3.035/kL | $0.003035 | 383.6 L to 1424.7 L |
| 3 | $3.288/kL | $0.003288 | Above 1424.7 L |
An easy read version of these prices can be found here.
See our tips to reduce your water use inside and outside your home.
Why we have a daily threshold
Water bills are calculated using daily thresholds as the number of days between meter readings can vary.
While we endeavour to read meters every 91 days, this is not always practical. For example, if it was 100 days since your last meter reading, the tier 1 threshold for that quarter’s bill is 38.36kL (0.3836kL x 100 days) so all water used up to 38.36kL is charged at tier 1 price. The same approach applies to tier 2 water use.
You can find the date of your meter reads and how much water you used in each tier on page two of your bill.
How much water do you use each day
While there is no right or wrong amount of water to use, an average residential customer uses 180kL per year. The amount you use will depend on:
- how many people live in your home
- what water-using appliances (washing machine, dishwasher) you have, their level of water efficiency and how often you use them
- the size of your property and garden and the type of plants you have in it
- whether you have a pool
- the season.
Recycled water price
Some customers are supplied with recycled water for irrigation or flushing toilets. This recycled water is supplied by dual reticulation, in purple pipes.
The price for recycled water is set at $1.913/kL in 2023-24, which is 90 per cent of the tier 1 water use price.
Charges if you are not connected to the water network
If your property is able to be connected to a water main, you are billed a rating on abuttalcharge. This charge applies even if you are not connected to the water network because the infrastructure has been designed to meet the service needs of your property and so available for you, or future owners, to access.
