Water and sewer charges
Water and sewer charges are issued on a quarterly basis, that is four (4) times a year.
The ongoing charges contribute to the cost of providing and maintaining the water and sewerage systems within the Shoalhaven.
When you receive your water account you will find a breakdown of charges on the back, they are made up of two categories:
- Availability charges, and
- Water usage charges
All charges are GST free.
Follow this link to view a sample water account.
If you own a commercial property, your account may also include charges recognising the additional burden of wastewater entering the sewerage network from a business activity.
Click on the below tabs to see our current charges.
Availability charges
Water and sewerage availability charges are a fixed rate based on the size of the property water meter.
Properties with multiple service connections pay availability charges for each connection.
Current annual charges:
| Meter size |
Water charge |
Sewer charge |
| 20mm |
$145.00 |
$1,028.00 |
| 25mm |
$243.00 |
$1,432.00 |
| 32mm |
$391.00 |
$2,188.00 |
| 40mm |
$614.00 |
$2,901.00 |
| 50mm |
$964.00 |
$4,103.00
|
For larger meter fees and charges visit Shoalhaven City Council's fees and charges page (search 'water availability').
Water usage charge
Water usage charges reflect the amount of water that has been registered on your water meter.
Our meter readers read your water meter every three months (or approximately every 90 days) and with these figures you are charged for every kilolitre of water used.
Our current water usage charge is $2.50 per kilolitre.
Please note: 1 kilolitre = 1,000 litres
Pro-rata usage charges
For bills that fall over two financial years, the usage charges are 'pro-rated'.
Pro-rated usage charges involve using a customer's average daily water use to estimate how much water was used over the period and then applying the relevant rates to the water used in each financial year.
Outstanding balances
In accordance with the Local Government Act 1993, daily interest charges of 10.5% per annum will apply on any outstanding balance until paid in full.
Our quarterly water accounts are issued with 28-day payment terms. We then follow up any outstanding balances through ongoing correspondence by issuing:
- A reminder
- A final reminder
- Impending flow restriction or legal action advice
Failure to respond to our communications may result in a flow restrictor being installed, or commencement of legal action.
For more information, click on this link to view our page on Avoiding Flow Restriction.