A water meter measures the amount of water used on a property. Water meters are read every three months and the amount of water consumed is charged to the owner.
Redland City Council owns the water meter, and the pipes that supply the services to the water meter. Pipes from the water meter to the house are the property owner’s responsibility.
On this page:
- Water meter readings
- Access to water meters
- Sub-meters
- Responsibility for water meters
- Water meter testing
Water meter readings
Redland City Council reads water meters quarterly. Reading water meters occurs over a 10-week read cycle.
We bill water quarterly in the months of July, October, January and April as part of your rate notice.
If the current water meter reading is less than the reading in your letter or account your water meter may have been misread. Please record the current reading and contact Redland City Council on (07) 3829 8999.
There are two types of water meters:
1. Eight numbers in a row
- This water meter has five black numbers and three white numbers (on red background).
- Compare the first five black and white numbers with the reading on your letter or account.
2. Numbers and circular dials
- The black numbers at the top are kilolitres, the four circular dials at the bottom are litres.
- The small circular dial in the centre is a leak detector – the leak detector spins as any water is being used.
Access to water meters
The water meter is generally located on or near the boundary line of your property that fronts the street.
If you live in a unit, apartment or townhouse complex you may not have an individual water meter allocated for each residence. For some units developed prior to January 2008 there are individual, privately owned, water meters on unit complexes. Council does not own these meters and therefore cannot read or charge from their readings.
Council reads water meters quarterly over a 10-week read cycle, with water charged quarterly in the months of July, October, January and April as part of your rate notice.
Occasionally, a water meter may not be read for a variety of reasons, including being unable to gain access to the water meter due to:
- a locked gate
- a dog barring access to the water meter
- overgrown vegetation
- the meter becoming buried due to earthworks.
If the meter reader is unable to read the water meter, a self-read card will be left in your mail box to explain the reason. You will then able to either call, email or post the meter reading to us so we won't need to estimate the reading.
Sub-meters
Redland City Council Sub-metering Guidelines and Specifications
Redland City Council Sub-metering Technical Specifications [PDF105KB]
This document contains guidelines and technical information for the individual sub-metering of multi-unit residential and commercial properties (MUPs), required to fulfill the Development Application condition introduced under the Water Act and Other Legislation Amendment 2007.
Sub-meters installed to these guidelines shall become the property of Redland City Council (RCC). Property owners will receive a Water Account Summary on water consumption per unit/lot.
The master meter shall continue to be installed at the property boundary and shall remain Council's primary record of water consumption.
Redland City Council Sub-metering-Guidelines [PDF 137KB]
On 1 January 2008, the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code (QPW code) was amended to introduce requirements for installing water meters for new premises.
These changes were introduced due to the severe drought conditions that were being experienced in Queensland, to secure Queensland’s future water supply. Other measures were also included, such as expanded use of treated greywater and introducing blackwater re-use trials.
A new part of the QPW code, ‘Part 4 – Water meters in new premises’ was created to provide acceptable solutions for the installation and maintenance of water meters. This includes the installation of ‘sub-meters’, the common term used to describe individual water meters within multi- unit complexes. The term also differentiates from ‘master meters’ that measure the supply of water to a complex as a whole.
The purpose of this guide is to assist Councils, Plumbers, builders and developers to understand the technical and regulatory requirements for installation of sub-meters.
A full copy of the QPW code is available on the Department of Housing and Public Works’ website at www.hpw.qld.gov.au
Redland City Council Sub-meter Concept [PDF 80KB]
Redland City Council has a range of sub-metering and billing arrangements available for Community Titles Schemes based on the age of the development, the installation of sub-meters meeting Council’s requirements, and any applicable Water Charges Agreements.
Redland City Council Master and Sub-meter Performance Criteria [PDF 273 KB]
This document is to serve as a guide for installation requirements for water sub meters in residential dwellings.
Application to Enter into a Community Title Scheme Sub-Metering Billing Agreement [PDF 525 KB]
Water meters are the property of Redland City Council. Under Section 191 of the Queensland Government Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 [PDF 2MB], it is an offence to connect to or disconnect from the water provider’s infrastructure (Redland City Council) without their written consent.
The diagram below illustrates who is permitted to undertake repairs/maintenance for water meters.
Water responsibility diagram for single property connection
Responsibility for water meters
If your property is a multi-unit residential or commercial property with submeters, that was built on or after 1 January 2008, please refer to this diagram:
Water Meter responsibility diagram for submeter installations
Note this diagram will also be relevant to some multi-unit residential or commercial properties built prior to 1 January 2008. if you are unsure, please contact Council to check.
Only members of Council's City Water team or persons with written permission from Council may undertake any repairs or maintenance on the sections shown in blue. The cost of damage done to the blue section of the water meter/service is allowed to be recovered under Section 40 of the Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008. Council currently charges a set fee for these damages. This can be found in the Register of Fees.
Learn more about connection, relocation and disconnection,
Replacing a water meter
It is an offence to interfere with a water provider’s infrastructure, which includes the water meter, without written consent – refer to section 192 of the Queensland Government Water Supply (Safety and Reliability) Act 2008 [PDF 2MB].
This includes building over or interfering with access to the infrastructure.
If the water meter or the pipes connected to it from the street side of the water meter are damaged or leaking, please contact Council immediately on (07) 3829 8999.
Water meter testing
All meters installed in Redlands are manufactured in accordance with Australian Standards and tested in accordance with the National Measurement Institute.
As meters age they can slow and under read. As part of Council’s commitment to fair and equitable billing we may replace our 20mm domestic meters every 8 – 10 years.
If you would like your water meter tested, Council will provide a quote prior to the test occurring. If a meter test results in an accuracy outside of +5% the meter testing, the fee will be refunded by Council. Should the meter accuracy read below +5%, the fee will remain.
Independent test
Council will remove the water meter and send it to an independent fully accredited testing authority to undertake a six-point strip test to AS3565.1-2010. A quote will be provided.