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Frequently Asked Questions about Water On this page you can find answers to a number of frequently asked questions about your rights and responsibilities and the Commission’s role in regulating Victorian water businesses. Q. How do I know who my water supplier is?Q. How does the performance of my water business compare with others across the state?Q. How does my water business set prices?Q. How do I check that the prices stated on my bill are correct?Q. How are service charges applied?Q. What do I do if I am having difficulties paying my bill?Q. What happens if I do not pay my bill by the required date?Q. What do I do when moving out?Q. What do I do when moving in?Q. What happens if I fail to notify my water supplier and set up an account?Q. What if I am a renter?Q. What are Service Standards? How do I find out what my water business’s Service Standards are?Q. What are my rights as a customer?Q. How much can my water business charge me for a new connection to their network?Q. What is the Utility Relief Grant (URG) scheme?Q. If I have a complaint about my water business, who do I complain to?Q. What is EWOV?Q. Does my water business have any Guaranteed Service Levels (GSLs)?Water Businesses Q. How do I know who my water supplier is?A. If you’re an existing customer, the easiest way is simply to check your most recent water bill. You can view maps of the supply areas of all Victorian water businesses. Performance Reporting Q. How does the performance of my water business compare with others across the state?A. We publish an annual Water Performance Report that compares the performance of each urban water business across more than 100 different indicators. Read the 2004-05 Water Performance Report. Correct Charges Q. How does my water business set prices?A. Water businesses need to get approval from us before changing prices or introducing any new charges. Prices usually change on 1 July each year. Price changes have been approved to take effect from 1 July 2006. Q. How do I check that the prices stated on my bill are correct?A. You can find all approved water and sewerage prices on our website. Q. How are service charges applied?A. In metropolitan Melbourne, each separately titled property incurs the service charge. In regional areas, businesses are entitled to charge separately for each residence on a single property. Service charges generally apply to vacant land as well as occupied land. In some areas, the service charge may depend on the size of the connection to the water main. View the prices your water business is permitted to charge. Billing Q. What do I do if I am having difficulties paying my bill?A. Notify your water supplier to discuss the options that are available to you.Q. What happens if I do not pay my bill by the required date?A. Before taking any action the supplier must first send you a reminder notice. The business must also provide you with a warning notice at least seven days before taking any action. Moving House Q. What do I do when moving out?A: Notify your water supplier at least three days before you move and provide a forwarding address for your final bill. Failure to notify the water supplier could result in you continuing to be responsible for the payment of water bills after you have moved out of the property.Q. What do I do when moving in?A: Identify which water supplier is responsible for supplying your area and ask to be connected before you move in. For an existing property you should give the supplier at least two days notice, and 10 days notice if you are moving into a new home. Q. What happens if I fail to notify my water supplier and set up an account?A. If you don’t do this, you may find you have a significant back bill once the water supplier supplying the property catches up with you — your obligation to pay for water starts as soon as you start using it. In addition, providing the supplier with your details will allow them to alert you to interruptions in supply.Q. What if I am a renter?A. You should still notify your supplier when moving in or moving out. Tenants and landlords share the responsibility for water charges. The landlord is responsible for supply charges, and the tenant for usage charges. Landlords in regional areas may also be responsible for some of the sewage disposal costs. Your water supplier will explain your obligations. Service Standards Q. What are Service Standards? How do I find out what my water business’s Service Standards are?A. We have approved a set of Service Standards and targets for each water business. Businesses are required to maintain performance to at least the specified standard. View your water business’s Service Standards and see how they compare with other businesses. Customer Service CodeQ. What are my rights as a customer?A. We have established a Customer Service Code. This Code lists all of your rights, as well as the standards and conditions of supply that water businesses must comply with. New Customer Contributions Q. How much can my water business charge me for a new connection to their network?A. In the normal course of events, the maximum amount that a business can charge for either sewerage or water is $500 per lot. In instances where developments occur out of sequence (earlier than anticipated), the water business may apply to the ESC to charge a higher fee. URGs Q. What is the Utility Relief Grant (URG) scheme?A. The Department of Human Services (DHS) administers the URG scheme. It provides a once-off payment to customers who have experienced a temporary financial crisis. Payment covers the cost of up to six months worth of water usage. More information is available on the DHS website and application forms are available from your water business. EWOV Q. If I have a complaint about my water business, who do I complain to?A. Your first contact regarding any complaint should be your water business. If your first point of contact at the business is unable to resolve your problem, you should ask to speak to a supervisor or someone higher in the business. If you are still unhappy with the response, you should contact the Electricity and Water Ombudsman of Victoria (EWOV).Q. What is EWOV?A. EWOV is the independent umpire in most disputes between customers and water businesses. EWOV will only investigate your complaint if you have already followed up the complaint with your water business. EWOV has the power and authority to make rulings that are binding on both you and your water business. For more information, refer to the EWOV website. GSLs Q. Does my water business have any Guaranteed Service Levels (GSLs)?A. Five water businesses (Yarra Valley Water, City West Water, South East Water, Barwon Water and Central Highlands Water) provide some payment to customers when service levels drop below an acceptable standard. View the full list of approved GSLs for each business.
On this page you can find answers to a number of frequently asked questions about your rights and responsibilities and the Commission’s role in regulating Victorian water businesses.
Q. How do I know who my water supplier is?Q. How does the performance of my water business compare with others across the state?Q. How does my water business set prices?Q. How do I check that the prices stated on my bill are correct?Q. How are service charges applied?Q. What do I do if I am having difficulties paying my bill?Q. What happens if I do not pay my bill by the required date?Q. What do I do when moving out?Q. What do I do when moving in?Q. What happens if I fail to notify my water supplier and set up an account?Q. What if I am a renter?Q. What are Service Standards? How do I find out what my water business’s Service Standards are?Q. What are my rights as a customer?Q. How much can my water business charge me for a new connection to their network?Q. What is the Utility Relief Grant (URG) scheme?Q. If I have a complaint about my water business, who do I complain to?Q. What is EWOV?Q. Does my water business have any Guaranteed Service Levels (GSLs)?Water Businesses
Q. How do I know who my water supplier is?A. If you’re an existing customer, the easiest way is simply to check your most recent water bill. You can view maps of the supply areas of all Victorian water businesses.
Performance Reporting
Q. How does the performance of my water business compare with others across the state?A. We publish an annual Water Performance Report that compares the performance of each urban water business across more than 100 different indicators. Read the 2004-05 Water Performance Report.
Correct Charges
Q. How does my water business set prices?A. Water businesses need to get approval from us before changing prices or introducing any new charges. Prices usually change on 1 July each year. Price changes have been approved to take effect from 1 July 2006.
Q. How do I check that the prices stated on my bill are correct?A. You can find all approved water and sewerage prices on our website.
Q. How are service charges applied?A. In metropolitan Melbourne, each separately titled property incurs the service charge. In regional areas, businesses are entitled to charge separately for each residence on a single property. Service charges generally apply to vacant land as well as occupied land. In some areas, the service charge may depend on the size of the connection to the water main. View the prices your water business is permitted to charge.
Billing
Q. What do I do if I am having difficulties paying my bill?A. Notify your water supplier to discuss the options that are available to you.
Moving House
Q. What do I do when moving out?A: Notify your water supplier at least three days before you move and provide a forwarding address for your final bill. Failure to notify the water supplier could result in you continuing to be responsible for the payment of water bills after you have moved out of the property.Q. What do I do when moving in?A: Identify which water supplier is responsible for supplying your area and ask to be connected before you move in. For an existing property you should give the supplier at least two days notice, and 10 days notice if you are moving into a new home.
Q. What happens if I fail to notify my water supplier and set up an account?A. If you don’t do this, you may find you have a significant back bill once the water supplier supplying the property catches up with you — your obligation to pay for water starts as soon as you start using it. In addition, providing the supplier with your details will allow them to alert you to interruptions in supply.
Service Standards
Q. What are Service Standards? How do I find out what my water business’s Service Standards are?A. We have approved a set of Service Standards and targets for each water business. Businesses are required to maintain performance to at least the specified standard. View your water business’s Service Standards and see how they compare with other businesses.
Customer Service Code
New Customer Contributions
Q. How much can my water business charge me for a new connection to their network?A. In the normal course of events, the maximum amount that a business can charge for either sewerage or water is $500 per lot. In instances where developments occur out of sequence (earlier than anticipated), the water business may apply to the ESC to charge a higher fee.
URGs
Q. What is the Utility Relief Grant (URG) scheme?A. The Department of Human Services (DHS) administers the URG scheme. It provides a once-off payment to customers who have experienced a temporary financial crisis. Payment covers the cost of up to six months worth of water usage. More information is available on the DHS website and application forms are available from your water business.
EWOV
Q. If I have a complaint about my water business, who do I complain to?A. Your first contact regarding any complaint should be your water business. If your first point of contact at the business is unable to resolve your problem, you should ask to speak to a supervisor or someone higher in the business. If you are still unhappy with the response, you should contact the Electricity and Water Ombudsman of Victoria (EWOV).
Q. Does my water business have any Guaranteed Service Levels (GSLs)?A. Five water businesses (Yarra Valley Water, City West Water, South East Water, Barwon Water and Central Highlands Water) provide some payment to customers when service levels drop below an acceptable standard. View the full list of approved GSLs for each business.
