We recently received our water bill: $25.30.

Over the six month period (186 days), the four people that live in our house used 40 kilolitres of water.  That’s around 215 litres per day, or 53 litres per person per day. We do have a tank, however it isn’t plumbed into the house and is used as drinking water, and for the garden.

I am about to argue something that mightn’t be all that popular. Water charges are too low!

According to the Council’s website, our water bill consist of both an annual access charge and a consumption charge.

Annual access charge: An annual access charge applies to all properties within the City’s defined water area, including those not connected to the water system. The charge is based on the size of the service connection pipe providing water to the property.  Where a property has more than one water connection, the access charge is applied to each connection.

Consumption Charge: A consumption charge is applied to every kilolitre (1,000 litres) of water consumed, as measured by your water meter. Properties with a 20mm connection (most houses have this sized connection pipe) are charged according to a tiered system outlined below:

1st Tier: 70c per kilolitre for all water consumed up to 100 kilolitres per half year.
2nd Tier: $1.50 per kilolitre for all water consumed between 101 kilolitres and 250 kilolitres per half year.
3rd Tier: $3.00 per kilolitre for all water consumed above 250 kilolitres per half year.

While our social and environmental conscious is enough to decrease our household water usage, I don’t believe the small amount we are charged for water reflects the true cost or value of water. I’m not sure how much the annual access charge is (If you know, please add a comment below) but the consumption charge is simply too low.

In my opinion, the 70 cents we are charged for each 1000 litres of water we use makes water so inexpensive that I don’t see the (financial) problem in using around 10c worth of it to wash my clothes.

While the council does provide rebates and incentives for buying more water efficient appliances, I think that a greater incentive for replacing inefficient appliances would be the ongoing cost of the excess water they consume.

For example, there isn’t a great financial incentive for our household to replace our top-loading washing machine (which accounts for around 30% of the water we use) with a more efficient front-loading machine. However, if we could save $30 a year in decreased water charges for the lifetime of the new washing machine, it is instantly more attractive.

If water consumption charges were to double, they would still be inexpensive and affordable, while also providing a financial incentive to reduce water usage.

What do you think? What was your water bill? And do you think that water is adequately priced?