Water/sewerage bill!!!!

[Stormy]

Our quarterly fixed charges are $60 for water and $174 for sewerage so just think it could be worse.

Our personal water usage is well below half of the city average. You'd think that they would have fixed rates for high volume users and for lower volume users. Why should we pay the same access fee when we use so much less?

So I feel the pain there.

[ezmay]

Is it only the one supplier or is it possible to take business elsewhere.

I still say if a big enough stink is kicked up then the company will do something if for no reason other than to shut you up.

[Stormy]

I don't know that we have a choice in water supplier. Previously it was just through the council and they listed numbers on the rates notice outlining how much of the rates were attributed to water/sewerage. In the last few months, we were sent a letter advising that the water company was X company and that they would submit advice with our rates notice. But there was nothing on there about having a choice of water suppliers.

[Frannie]

Is this a quaterly bill?????

OMG that is so expensive .... our fixed charges for water is $18.82 and sewerage is $72.51 and that has just gone up on the 01/07/10

I cant say I have ever read my water bill that closely but it has never been over $50 in the last 4 years we have lived where we are. I would be calling the company and asking for a deal.

Ezmay if you are renting you do not pay the fixed charges......

Is it only the one supplier or is it possible to take business elsewhere.

I still say if a big enough stink is kicked up then the company will do something if for no reason other than to shut you up.

You cannot change water companies like gas and electricity as the water company owns the assets. Like there is three retail Melbourne Water Companies that cover the Melbourne Metro area but you can only use the one that covers the area you live in and cannot swap.

They will not change the prices for anyone. Prices are set by the Essential Services Commission which is owned by the government and the prices are locked in for at least 12 months. I think the problem with Sydney is that there is no competition with other water companies....

[Cherie]

If my water sewage bill comes to the same as you 2Cat..I will be cheering..but somehow I think it is going to be pretty steep.

[2catscan]

I cant say I have ever read my water bill that closely but it has never been over $50 in the last 4 years we have lived where we are. I would be calling the company and asking for a deal.

You can't do a deal. There are two standard charges - water access and sewerage access.Everyone in Brisbane pays these.Then on top of that you pay for your actual water usage, which in my case is very little. It is not negotiable, same as rates. Here, rates and water bills are now seperate. You certainly can't do any bargaining.

[ezmay]

I am renting so we dont have rates so I guess its the same for the standard water charges.
That really sucks. It really seems unfair.

[Leilani]

I just paid ours, deep sew, $909 for the year and the water bill is about 100 to 150 every quarter and I have no lawn but there are 4 to 5 people here most times , we have no choice either

[Di Nana]

Wow I have never heard of having to pay for water and sewerage

[Stormy]

Don't you pay land rates Di? It's usually included in that - unless you only have a septic system and rainwater tank and no access to town water and sewage.