Any water that enters your property from the town water supply is recorded on your water meter. Regularly reading your meter will help you monitor your water usage, avoid any surprises come bill time as well as helping you to quickly identify any costly water leaks on your property.
Council officers read each residential water meter on a rolling quarterly basis. Some larger water users have their meters read every month. For further details on when you can expect your next meter reading and bills, see
Meter Reading and Billing Schedule.
Council's Responsibilities
Council is responsible for the water service from Council's water main up to and including the water meter. Generally, Council owns and maintains a single water meter for each property connected to the town water supply.
In some cases (ie multi-residential properties) there may also be private water meters to more accurately track water usage by each property owner/resident. In this instance, Council is only responsible the single meter servicing the whole property, also called the 'master meter'.
Some commercial and industrial properties have more than one Council-owned master meter.
If your water meter is damaged or faulty, contact
contact Tweed Shire Council.
After you meter has been read, Council officers will replace or repair water meters that have been identified as damaged or not working during the reading period.
Locating your Meter
Knowing where your water meter is important. In an emergency, such as a burst water pipe on your property, you may need to turn off your water at your meter to prevent wasting water and damage to your home and belongings.
Water meters are usually located just inside your front property boundary. The meter is usually located within 600mm of the side boundary and 600mm inside the front fence line. In older areas, the meter may be in line with the hose tap at the front of the house.
It is important that owners maintain access to water meters. If required, Council will send a letter to residents requesting that they maintain the area around the meter.
Using your Meter to Identify Leaks
Identifying leaks on your property is easy and could save you a lot of money. Council has put together a simple guide to help you identify any leaks on your property:
- Turn off all taps on the property before going to bed. Make sure you switch off any automatic appliances that also use water (e.g. garden irrigation, dishwashers, washing machines, evaporative air-conditioners).
- Take a meter reading, making note of the black and white numbers.
- Minimise water usage overnight.
- Check the meter again the next morning to compare the reading. If the meter is reading higher than before the test, then you may have a leak.
If you discover an undetectable leak on your property, you may be eligible for a one-off reduction in your water consumption charges. See Reduction in Water Charges.
What to do if you find a leak
To determine the best course of action after you've discovered a leak, you will first need to identify whether the leak is on your property (ie water has already passed through the meter).
If after conducting the water leak test, the meter reading is higher, then the leak must be on your property and it is your responsibility to arrange and pay for any repairs. If overnight consumption is:
Less than 20 litres, you may have a small leak and want to repeat the test
Less than 100L, you may want to contact a plumber to investigate
Greater than 100L, you should contact a plumber as soon as possible. You should also tun off the tap at the water meter to minimise further leaks.
If the meter reading is the same, then the leak is likely to be Council's responsibility. Please
contact Tweed Shire Council to report the leak.
Duplex or Triplex Properties
See
Water Connections/Disconnections