2011-2012 Rates and charges

Country residential

Annual service charge accounts are issued in July.  Accounts for water use are issued approximately every four months.  Generally each separate residence is charged under a separate account.

Where the land on which a group of residences has been constructed with a common water service, one owner and is not strata titled, the Water Corporation may at its discretion charge the property as a whole, under one account.  For more information, follow the links titled 'Multiple Residences' below.

Water

Each residence is subject to a service charge and to water use charges.

Service charge

An annual service charge account is applied to all properties with access to a Water Corporation water main. In 2011-12 the service charge for each residence is $186.60.

Water use charges

Generally, water meters are read and amounts billed every four months. To encourage the careful use of water, charges are structured so that the price per kilolitre increases as more water is used. The tiered prices apply over 12 months (not reset after each reading).

Each town or area in which you live has been allocated to one of five classes based on the cost of providing water to that town or area.

We have a uniform pricing policy, which means that most households are charged the same rates for water use up to the average of 300kL per year, even if the cost of providing the water is higher. Lower charges apply for the few country towns whose cost of supply is less than the metropolitan region. Charges for water use above 300kL then vary based on the costs associated with providing water to the specific town or area.

Special (lower) tarrifs for usage between 351kL and 750kL apply to residential properties in the North of the State (above the 26th parallel), and also in the towns of Cue, Laverton, Leonora, Meekatharra, Menzies, Mt Magnet, Mullewa, Sandstone, Wiluna and Yalgoo. 

Examples

A customer in Guilderton who uses 640 kL of water (Class 3 Country South town)
(170 kL for the first reading, 250 kL for the second reading and 220 kL for the third reading)
Service Charge  $186.60 
Water Use Charge  
  First 150 kL @ 119.2 $178.80  
  Next 20 kL @ 153.5 $30.70  
  First bill for water use:  $209.50 
  Next 130 kL @ 153.5  $199.55   
  Next 50 kL @ 206.4  $103.20   
  Next 70 kL @ 210.3  $147.21   
  Second bill for water use: $449.95 
  Next 30 kL @ 210.3  $63.09   
  Next 100 kL @ 218.9  $218.90   
  Next 90 kL @ 288.1  $259.29   
  Third bill for water use: $541.30

 

       A customer in Broome who uses 840 kL of water (Class 2 Country North town)
(240 kL for the first reading, 400 kL for the second reading and 200 kL for the third reading)
Service Charge  $186.60 
Water Use Charge  
  First 150 kL @ 119.2 $178.80  
  Next 90 kL @ 124.3 $111.87  
  First bill for water use:  $290.65 
  Next 110 kL @ 124.3  $136.73   
  Next 150 kL @ 153.5  $230.25   
  Next 50 kL  @ 167.9  $83.95   
  Next 90 kL @ 170.9  $153.81   
  Second bill for water use: $604.75 
  Next 10 kL @ 170.9  $17.09   
  Next 100 kL @ 181.3  $181.30   
  Next 90 kL @ 238.6  $214.74   
  Third bill for water use: $413.15 

 

  Water use charges for your town or area
  
  Special tariffs for Denham desalinated water
  

Sewerage

Sewerage charges for each residence are based on the rateable value of the property.

The rateable value is the Gross Rental Value of the property (or estimated gross annual rent) which is determined by the Valuer General.

The tariffs are set independently for each country town sewerage scheme, with the objective of recovering the costs of providing sewerage services to the specific town or area.

  Sewage rates and charges for your town or area
  

The minimum country residential sewerage charge in 2011-12 is $302.30 per residence.

The maximum country residential sewerage charge in 2011-12 is $753.30 per residence.

Note: Annual increases in total charges limited to a maximum of 10% plus GPI (3%)

Example:

A residential property in Albany has a Gross Rental Value (GRV) of $8,500. The residential rate for Albany is 8.479 cents for every dollar of the GRV.

The sewerage bill for the property is calculated as:

$8,500 x 8.479c = $720.70