Water Use

Ratepayers who live within the town boundaries and who use the Council water supply have a 300 kilolitre quota per annum. This equates to approximately 833m litres per day. Any excess water is charged at 104 cents per kilolitre.

Reading your own meter.
You may wish to read you own water meter to monitor usage. Most users will have a meter with a dial face like that shown in the first diagram below, however new connections may have a new type of meter installed as shown in the second diagram. The diagrams show a sample reading display on the meter.

Reading a Meter Type 1
A kilolitre is 1000 litres and is recorded IN BLACK NUMBERS on the water meter. Litres are recorded on the three red figures.

Reading a Meter Type 2
A kilolitre is 1000 litres and is recorded IN BLACK NUMBERS on the water meter. Litres are recorded on the three red figures.

Parts or fractions of kilolitres are indicated on the red clock-dial pointers.
Read the digital style display first, and then complete the reading to four decimal points by reading the red clock-dials in order from right to left.

In this meter¡¯s example, the exact reading on the meter is 29.6461 kilolitres.
(When a pointer rests between two numbers on a clock-dial, always read the smaller of the two numbers.)

Please Note: For the purposes of reading either type of meter, only the whole kilolitres figure is read, we do not round this figure based on the fraction amounts. For instance, if your exact reading was 29.9653 kilolitres, the reading will still only be taken as 29 kilolitres.

Do you think this is not accurate?
Fill a container of known volume from a tap and observe and record the movement of the last dial on the meter. If you are still in doubt council will formally test the meter for accuracy at a cost.

How do I know if there is a leak?
If a leak is suspected then the meter should be read before and after a known period of zero usage. ie. when you go out for the day. Be careful to ensure that automatic washing machines and systems are not programmed to operate while you are testing. Any movement of the meter during this period suggests a leakage.

Remember, leaks within you property are your responsibility and a plumber should be contacted.

Point of Supply
Council¡¯s responsibility for water supply to your property ends at the water meter. This means that you are responsible for all water passing through the meter whether used, or lost to leakage. Ratepayers in rural areas or with long distances between their water meter and dwelling are urged to undertake regular checks of their water pipes to check for any leaks which sometimes are not visible or noticed in normal day to day circumstances. Council recommends that you also do regular checks on your daily, weekly or monthly consumption of water at your meter.

Water Meter Access
We request that you keep your meter clear of vegetation and any other obstructions. All meters are provided with an isolation valve immediately before the meter; this is to allow you to isolate your supply in the event of an emergency.