Shared water meter charges

Water use charges

When residential properties share a meter, in most cases, water use charges are billed as follows:

• Our meter readers visit every 2 months to read the shared meter and record the total water use
• We bill the strata or property manager for the total amount of water use based on the water meter reading supplying the group of properties
• The strata or property manager then distributes the total between the individual owners. This is at the discretion of management.

Water use tiers for households

We use a tiered pricing structure to encourage the careful use of water.

The amount of water at each pricing tier is multiplied by the number of residences sharing the water meter so that you can still benefit from the lower pricing tier.

For example, 10 residential units in the metro area with a shared meter and no sub-metering would be charged at the tier 1 pricing of 0-150 kilolitres (kL) until, collectively, the water use adds up to over 1,500 kL for the current bill year. Once the water use goes over 1,500 kL the charge moves to tier 2.

Submeters

If your property has a submeter, you will only get charged for the water you use on your submeter. Depending on the billing arrangement, we’ll send the bill directly to the property owner, tenant or property manager.

There may still be some costs relating to the shared meter water use. This is managed at the discretion of the property manager.

Service charges

Water, wastewater and drainage service charges are usually billed to each property owner in the group of properties.

For more information about household your service charges, visit understanding your service charges.

When business properties share a meter in most cases water use charges are billed as follows:

• Our meter readers visit every 2 months to read the shared meter and record the total water use
• We bill the strata or property manager for the total amount of water use based on the water meter reading supplying the group of properties
• The strata or property manager then distributes the total between the individual owners. This is at the discretion of management.

For business water use rates, please visit understanding your water use.

Submeters

If your property has a submeter, you will only get charged for the water you use on your submeter. Depending on the billing arrangement, we’ll send the bill directly to the property owner, tenant or property manager.

Please note that some costs may still be related to the shared meter water use. This is managed at the discretion of the property manager.

Sewer volume charges

Each strata lot that shares a meter gets 200 kilolitres (kL) of wastewater discharge allowance.

When discharge from the complex exceeds the total discharge allowance, sewer volume will be billed and the bill will be sent to the property or strata manager.

For example
For ten strata lots 10 x 200 kL – if they exceed the 2,000 kL wastewater discharge a charge will apply.

Learn more about sewer volume charges.

Service charges

Water, wastewater and drainage service charges are usually billed to each property owner in the group of properties.

The charge per property is:

• Water service charge - fixed service charge (equivalent to a 20mm meter)
• Sewerage service charge - based on the dedicated fixture in each strata lot, unless they are sharing facilities.
• Drainage service charge (metro only) - based on Gross Rental Value