Reform needed for Water Corporation’s billing cycle

Alison Xamon, Greens Spokesperson for Water today called for the Water Corporation to introduce reforms to their billing cycle.

“This Government is bringing in massive increases to basic utilities – gas, power and water.  The billing cycle allows consumers to reflect on their recent usage and temper their consumption.  Currently Water Corporation bills customers only twice a year.”

“We have the extraordinary situation where a standard domestic water consumer was charged an outrageous sum for a leaking mains water connection.  This situation could have been alleviated much earlier if Water Corporation conducted meter reading at increased frequency.”

“The leak would have been detected far earlier and resulted in much less wastage of precious water as well as a reduced financial burden for the resident,” she said

“Households budgets are coming under great financial stress caused by Government utility pricing decisions.  Linking consumption with billing provides far better feedback for consumers and utility providers.

A recent CSIRO report highlighted that a drier hotter climate is going to hit WA’s water resources hard over the next twenty years.

“We must be putting in place the machinery to move water consumption to lower levels.  We cannot keep building expensive polluting desalination plants to satisfy wasteful water use practices.”

“As well as bi-monthly billing through the year, during warmer months billing should occur at a more frequent interval to really drive home the water conservation message and change water wastage behaviours as consumers become aware of exactly how much water they are using.”

The Greens have a comprehensive water conservation policy to ensure WA drives towards sustainability.”