Real water bills on way
30 August 2018 Waipā's first round of real' water meter bills will go out early next week.
The bills follow mock invoices already sent to property owners across the district to help them understand their water use. Based on the mock bills most Waipā people will pay less for water than under the old, one-size-fits-all regime. Previously all households in Waipā connected to the town supply paid $405.20 for the year, irrespective of how much water they used.
Council's finance manager Alister Duncan said there were four ways to pay water rates including in person, by direct debit, by internet banking or by credit card.
The easiest way to pay is by direct debit from a bank account. It's easy and it means people will never miss a payment so will never incur a late payment fee, he said.
Property owners who pay by direct debit are still sent an invoice for their records. By law, water bills must be sent to property owners; they cannot be sent directly to tenants.
Waipa District Council is continuing to offer a free service to help Waipā households reduce their water use. The service is aimed at households with unusually high water readings that might be paying more for water services than they need to. A high reading could signal a water leak or an issue with household appliances.
Households tapping into the service receive a home visit from water advisor Chris Parker. To date, Chris has visited more than 30 homes across the district and has identified 14 leaks including a leaking hot water cylinder.
People wanting to access the free water-saving service should call 0800 WAIPADC (0800 924 723).