Tue Aug 31

Water Costs in Brisbane

Written by Samantha Ball

When you take a look at your water costs in Brisbane, the charges found on your bill may seem complicated and difficult to understand. And that’s why we’ve decided to give you a quick rundown of the standard items you’d find on a water bill, and how these affect your total expenses!

Water Cost Components

Your water bill is divided into two distinct segments — your fixed charges, and your variable water consumption charges.

The fixed charges are billed quarterly and in advance. And they’re made up of your Water Access Charge and the Sewage Access Charge. The former helps fund the distribution and maintenance network that delivers waters, while the latter funds sewage maintenance, treatment, and distribution — the network the removes sewage from your home or place of business.

Your water usage charge represents the variable part of your bill — which depends on the amount of water your household uses. And that includes the expenses for delivering the water, and the cost of water itself. These charges are expressed as water usage per kilolitre, and they’re divided between the local charge and the state government bulk water charge.

Average water costs

When it comes to Brisbane and Queensland in general, the average quarterly water bill is about $300 — which is a neat middle ground between the more expensive and cheaper states. However, interestingly enough, just under half of Queenslanders believe that they’re overpaying for water. Also, 49% of QLD citizens try to limit water usage and in an effort to cut down on their water bills.

Tips for Reducing Your Bills

Regardless of what kind of household you’re living in, there are quite a few factors influencing your water bills. That’s why it’s important to know what’s making your water costs rise, allowing you to know where to save.

For instance, seasonal water usage is a big factor — depending on whether we’re talking about cooler or warmer months, your water usage will naturally fluctuate. During the summer, you’ll be gardening a lot more — while winter usually means longer showers inside.

You need to think about your water usage habits if you’re going to reduce your bills — if you’ve added a brand new lawn to pretty up your backyard, chances are you’re leaving your sprinklers on for longer periods of time. The same is true when you have a new family member in your household — from babies to pets.

Of course, not everything is about your water usage habits. If you can’t explain where an overblown water bill is coming from, it may very well be a leaky toilet or pipe — and you probably haven’t even noticed it. Have a licensed plumber inspect your premises and do a meter read to see if there’s a water leak somewhere.