Mock water bills on way
30 January 2018
Te Awamutu and Kihikihi residents will get their first of two mock water bills within the next few weeks.
The mock bills show how much water your household used in the last quarter of 2017 or since your meter was last read. They will show what the cost of that water will be once charging begins and will enable water users to compare their use with similar households.
Read more: Your water bill at a glance.
Council's water manager Tony Hale stressed the mock water bills should not be paid. The first 'real' bills will not be issued until later in 2018.
"Mock bills are not an invoice and no payment is required," he said. "Mock bills will simply help people get a handle on their water use and understand what water is likely to cost once real bills kick in from July 2018. Between now and then, at least one more mock bill will be issued."
Users connected to the Waipa town supply have always paid for water but the recovery charge has previously been part of the annual rates bill. In the 2017/18 year, users connected to Waipa's town water supply were charged $405.20 for water. By law, councils cannot make a profit on water; councils can only recover the costs to treat, supply and dispose of it.
"Quarterly water bills will make household water costs much more transparent and a number of people will see their water costs go down," Hale said. "Instead of users being hit with a 'one size fits all' charge, households and businesses can take steps to reduce their water use - and the cost of water - if that's what they choose to do."
Council would be proactively working with people concerned about high water use, he said. Information would be provided on how to detect leaks and households would be encouraged to fix leaks in private pipes before charging began.
"It's in everyone's interest to drive down water use," Hale said. "Households and business benefit via smaller water bills and Council benefits because if we use less water, we can delay the cost of expensive infrastructure."
Cambridge residents will receive their first mock bills in March.
For more information, contact: Simone van Asbeck, 027 564 7622