Water opt-in opens for Townsville homeowners
Date published: 9 August 2023
Townsville ratepayers can now choose the way they pay for their water as Townsville City Council opens the water opt-in period.
Ratepayers have until 27 August to choose from two options either the Standard Plan or the Water Watchers Plan.
Townsville Water and Waste Committee chairperson Russ Cook said it was about giving people choice.
“Council has been offering ratepayers the ability to choose how they want to pay for their water for a long time because each household will use their water differently,” Cr Cook said.
“With the Standard Plan, residents have a $942 annual charge with fixed water allocation of 772kL per year with excess water charges if they go over that amount.
“The Water Watchers Plan is a flat $431 service connection fee for the year and then billing of water at a rate of $1.73 for every kilolitre of water used.
“If your water use is more than 298kL per year then the Standard Plan is a better option and anything less then the Water Watcher Plan is more suitable.
Cr Cook said now was a good time for residents to look at how they use their water and ways to conserve it.
“More than 70 per cent of Townsville’s total household water is used on lawns and gardens,” he said.
“There are simple things we can all be doing around home to save water including using low-flow sprinklers, sticking to the odds and evens system, taking shorter showers and fixing any leaks around the home.
“Ratepayers have until 27 August to change their water plan for the next 12 months.
“If you’re happy with your current plan then you don’t need to do a thing, but if you want to change please contact Council’s Customer Experience team on 13 48 10 or enquiries@townsville.qld.gov.au.”
For more information on which plan is right for you, visit Council’s Change your water billing page.
