Water providers, bills and customer rights

Water and sewerage connections are made through your water service provider.

You should contact your water service provider if you would like more information on how your water bill is calculated.

Your water provider

South East Queensland providers of water and sewerage services

In South East Queensland (SEQ) the following organisations provide water and sewerage services:

• Local councils supply water and sewerage services in the Logan, Redland and Gold Coast areas.
• Urban Utilities supplies businesses and residents in Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset local council areas (except for Riemore Estate at Tamborine).
• Riemore Water 1 Pty Ltd supplies residents of the Riemore Estate at Tamborine.
• Unitywater supplies businesses and residential customers in Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast and Noosa local council areas.

All of these organisations (except Riemore Water 1 Pty Ltd) buy their treated bulk water from Seqwater, the Queensland Government's bulk water authority. Seqwater owns and operates the SEQ Water Grid, which provides drinking water to the water service providers throughout the region.

Water service providers outside South East Queensland

Outside SEQ, local councils are generally responsible for setting prices for their water and sewerage services.

Check with your local council to find who your water service provider is.

Understanding your bill

The price you pay for water and sewerage services is typically made up of the following components:

• distribution and retail charges
  • set by your water and sewerage service provider
  • include water access (fixed, annual charge), and might also include a fixed sewerage charge
• volumetric charges
  • your bill might include a charge for the water you’ve used (charged per kilolitre) and/or the volume of sewerage you’ve discharged to the sewer
• bulk water charge (for SEQ customers only)
  • a wholesale price set by the Queensland Government and charged to water service providers by Seqwater
  • appears on your bill as the 'state bulk water charge', ‘bulk water component’ or similar.

Difficulties paying your bill

If you have any difficulties or want to dispute the charges you need to contact your service provider before the due date shown on the bill.

If you do not pay your bill on time your service provider (in some circumstances) may charge interest on the unpaid bill and restrict your water supply. Water service providers also have the power to sell a property to recover unpaid rates (including water charges) if the fees have been outstanding for at least 3 years.

Water customer rights and complaints

As a water customer in Queensland you have certain rights and responsibilities.

Your water rights

As a water customer you have the right to:

• ask your water service provider to test your water meter if you suspect that it's not functioning correctly (the service provider may charge you a fee for the test)
• access dispute resolution processes.

Your water responsibilities

As a water customer you are responsible for:

• making sure that the plumbing and drainage on your property is kept in good condition and works properly
• notifying your water service provider if you are the new owner of the land
• paying your water and sewerage charges on time.

Water customer service standards

Your water service provider must also meet certain obligations relating to customer service standards and follow the Guideline for issuing a residential water rate notice outside South East Queensland (PDF, 924KB).

Read more about water service provider obligations.

Resolving disputes about your water

If you have an issue with your water service provider and you have already tried to resolve the dispute with them, you can complain to the Energy and Water Ombudsman Queensland.

Find out more

• View Queensland’s Urban Water Explorer.
• Find out if you are eligible for the water subsidy.
• Take the home waterwise quiz (PDF, 176KB) to see where you can save water at home.
• Learn how to check for water leaks.
• Find out more about South East Queensland’s water security.
• Read about drinking water quality.
• Find out more about water pricing.