Why do I need to pay for water and/or sewerage services when I do not have a connection on my property?
Customers are charged service charges (water and/or sewerage) if their property is located within a TasWater serviced land area whether the property is connected or unconnected to our infrastructure. This includes both vacant and built on land that is not connected to our infrastructure.
We are required by law to connect and supply properties within ten business days that meet our Connections Policy. To make sure that we can service and supply all of the properties in the serviced area we have to spend money on maintaining pipes, pumps and running the treatment plants. There are significant public health and environmental benefits associated with piped, tested drinking water and sewage removal and treatment, and an associated increase in property values from the provision of these services.
Our approach shares the cost between properties that use our services now and properties that may use our services in the future. If we didn’t do this, then properties that are connecting now are carrying the burden of those that aren’t currently connected. Sharing the costs in this way also helps to minimise prices in sparsely populated geographical areas.
My land is vacant, why haven't I had to pay these fees before?
Customers have always paid service fees for vacant blocks of land within serviced areas. Prior to 2012 these fees would have been included as part of council rates.
Will properties that are not currently in serviced land area have to pay for services in future?
If a property is not currently located in our serviced land area then they are not required to pay charges. In future, should we consider extending services to new areas we would undertake a Service Introduction process that would determine whether services are introduced and serviced land created. Unconnected properties within this serviced land area would be charged service charges.
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