Residential fees and charges

Most of the revenue we receive is used to make sure that safe, clean drinking water comes out of your tap and that the used water that goes down your drains is taken away to be treated to protect the health of our waterways.

• Providing clear and clean water
• Providing reliable wastewater services
• Looking after customers in need
• Future-proofing our region's water supply
• Maintaining our precious water sources
• Creating a sustainable future

We submit a pricing proposal to Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) every five years which is then assessed by them to ensure safe, reliable services are provided at a fair price.

Over 8,000 customers, community members and stakeholders helped shape our pricing proposal over the past two years. They identified the key areas of keeping bills affordable, looking after customers in need, providing clear and clean water, and providing reliable wastewater services.

From the community's input, we have balanced providing reliable, high-quality water and wastewater services, while creating a positive legacy for future generations and keeping prices affordable.

A house with a single connection to water and sewer is charged for:

• water service - includes the environmental projects charge

• sewer service

• water usage

Service charges are paid in advance and spread across each billing cycle.

Water usage charges are paid in arrears, based on your water meter reading.

* only applies if your property is within a Hunter Water stormwater drainage area.

A house with a single connection to water only is charged for:

• water service - includes the environmental projects charge

• water usage

Service charges are paid in advance and spread across each billing cycle.

Water usage charges are paid in arrears, based on your water meter reading.

*only applies if your property is within a Hunter Water stormwater drainage area.

A house with a single connection to water and sewer is charged for:

• water service - includes the environmental projects charge

• sewer service

• water usage

If your property has dual reticulation, you will also be charged for:

• recycled water service

• recycled water usage

Service charges are paid in advance and spread across each billing cycle.

Water usage charges are paid in arrears, based on your water meter reading.

Hunter Water currently has two dual reticulation schemes:

• Gillieston Heights

• Thornton North (Chisholm)

A flat, unit or townhouse with a connection to water and sewer is charged for:

• water service - includes the environmental projects charge

• sewer service

• water usage

Service charges are paid in advance and spread across each billing cycle.

Water usage charges are paid in arrears, based on your water meter reading if individually metered, or your share of the main meter if not.

*only applies if your property is within a Hunter Water stormwater drainage area.

Water charges for residential customers include:

• a base water service charge for operating the water system

• a water usage charge based on the amount of water used

Usage is measured in kilolitres (kL).

During periods of drought, the water usage charge increases to

• reward people for saving water when it matters most

• reflect the extra costs associated with drought related activities

What triggers a drought response

A drought response is triggered 31 days after water storage levels fall below 60 per cent and remains in place until 31 days after levels rise above 70 per cent.

Hunter Water storage levels

We monitor and update current water storage levels daily on our website. Our customers will be notified if the drought response usage charge is introduced. 

Proper disposal of sewage and wastewater is just as important as supplying quality water. Sewer charges for residential customers include:

• a base sewer service charge that covers most of the costs of operating the sewer system

• an environmental improvement charge, which helps provide sewer services to established but unsewered areas in the Lower Hunter.

Hunter Water maintains stormwater networks in parts of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Cessnock local government areas to help prevent flooding in high-impact areas.

We typically own and manage the large, concrete stormwater drains, while the smaller drains are the responsibility of local councils.

Only properties located in catchments connected to Hunter Water’s stormwater drains are charged for stormwater drainage.

This charge helps fund an additional $17.3 million for Hunter Water to invest in recycling water to irrigate parks, sporting grounds, gardens and support stormwater naturalisation.

These projects improve the liveability of our region and were chosen based on community feedback.

An environmental projects charge of $1.93 per year is applied to each residential property connected to our water network. It is included in your water service charge.

Recycled water (also known as dual reticulation) means your property is supplied with both standard drinking water and recycled water.

Hunter Water currently operates two dual reticulation schemes – at Gillieston Heights and Thornton North (Chisholm).

If your property is part of a dual reticulation scheme, you will also be charged a recycled water service fee and a recycled water usage fee, in addition to standard water and sewer charges.