Important information regarding water access charges for non-residential customers.
Unlike residential properties, non-residential water access is charged according to meter supply type and size.
Current meter supply types
1. Direct meter
Water provided through a single meter for domestic services (such as taps and toilets). May also supply firefighting equipment consisting of maximum one fire hose reel.
Quarterly water access charge for non-residential properties
A typical billing period (quarter) is around 92 days. Quarterly thresholds vary depending on the number of days in a meter reading period. Water access charges are shown in the table below:
Table with two columns, meter size and quarterly water access charge
| BASE WATER ACCESS CHARGE ($) NON-RESIDENTIAL (METER size) |
DAILY RATE ($) |
ANNUAL CHARGE ($) |
| 20mm |
0.8068 |
294.50 |
| 25mm |
0.8068 |
294.50 |
| 32mm |
2.0654 |
753.92 |
| 40mm |
3.2272 |
1,178.00 |
| 50mm |
5.0425 |
1,840.62 |
| 100mm |
20.1700 |
7,362.50 |
| 150mm |
45.3825 |
16,565.62 |
| 200mm |
80.6800 |
29,450.00 |
| 250mm |
126.0625 |
46,015.62 |
| 300mm |
181.5300 |
66,262.50 |
2. Fire meter
Water provided to firefighting equipment only.
Water access charged at the rate for a 40mm meter (see above table).
3. Combined meter
Water provided through a single meter for both domestic services (such as taps and toilets) and for firefighting equipment consisting of more than one fire hose reel.
A minimum of 40 mm is charged for water access.
Example: A property with a single water meter servicing a fire hydrant and basic domestic fixtures (such as taps and toilets) requires a 100 mm meter for the fire hydrant. However, the meter size required for the domestic fixtures only would be 40mm. By registering the combined meter, the water access charge will be set at the rate of a virtual size of 40mm meter instead of 100mm.
4. Non-drinking meter
Water meter connects to the recycled water network.
No water access charge for this type of meter.
Is your meter the appropriate size?
Step 1: Check the size of the meter
Check the size of the meter(s) servicing your property. If any meter is 100mm or larger, it could be worthwhile investigating if this size is optimal or whether it could be a combined meter.
The size of your property's meter(s) can be found on your water bill next to each meter number and meter reading.
If you believe the meter size stated on your bill does not match the size of your actual meter, call us on 1300 000 928 or email mail@goldcoast.qld.gov.au. Please ensure you have your bill and meter details ready.
Step 2: Assess property for minimum meter requirements
You can have your property assessed to determine if your meter can be downsized or confirmed as a combined supply meter. A hydraulic report is required in all instances and must be completed by a hydraulic consultant that is either:
- a Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) licence holder with a licence class of hydraulic design
- a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ).
There are minimum requirements for the hydraulic assessment report:
Hydraulic assessment report minimum requirements(PDF, 66KB)
Step 3: Follow hydraulic assessment report recommendations
Downsize or disconnect meter
If the hydraulic report determines that you can downsize or even disconnect a meter, engage an accredited contractor. Fore more information visit Connecting to the City’s water & sewerage network
Combined meter
If the hydraulic report determines that you have a combined meter, you can register it by either:
Note: Ensure you attach the hydraulic report to your submission.
Register a combined meter
Body Corporate accounts
Owners of properties belonging to Community Titles Schemes will need to contact their respective body corporates to proceed with any meter changes.