We get a lot of questions about wide range of services that Gippsland Water offers, save some time and take a look if your queries fall within our Frequently Asked Questions. If not covered here, we are always happy to take your call on 1800 050 500.
Q: What are all the charges on my Gippsland Water account?
There are a variety of charges for both residential and commercial customers. For a full list of all charges along with an explanation, please visit the Fees and Charges page.
Q: How often do we receive a bill?
Water use tends to increase over the warmer months, so remember to compare your bill with the same time last year, rather than with your previous bill.
Have you had guests stay over? Extra people in your household will increase your consumption.
Leaks can occur anywhere on your property. They can go unnoticed and can waste a lot of water.
Leaks can be caused by dripping taps, a running toilet cistern, a burst pipe under the house or underground in the garden, faulty appliances including evaporative coolers, solar and regular hot water systems, or new installed, faulty or incorrectly programmed dripper systems.
To check for leaks, take the 15 minute leak test. Write down the current reading on your water meter, both the black and red numbers Ensure all taps in your property are turned off. Wait 15 minutes, then write down the meter reading again. If any of the dials have moved, in particular the red numbers, you may have a leak and should contact a plumber to investigate further.
Watch our video to find out more about your water meter.
Q: Why is my graph so different on this bill compared to my previous?
The scale of your graph does change depending on the volume of usage you have incurred on your previous bills. It is important to check the scale in which your graph has been listed. This also varies due to the number of days in each billing period.
Q: Who determines what the tariffs are?
The tariffs were set through an ESC process called the 2013 Water Price Review. Gippsland Water's Water Plan 3 proposal was submitted to the ESC as part of this process. The Water Plan 3 proposal outlined Gippsland Water's service outcomes and obligations, operational and capital expenditure, and the proposed tariffs for the five-year period from July 2013 to June 2018.
Q: Why am I being charged non-connected tariffs?
A Water Service Availability Charge applies to all properties in all water districts where the water main passes through, fronts a property, or is capable of providing a service to the property. The Water Service Availability Charge of $84.93 per year applies to non-connected properties.
A Wastewater Service Availability Charge applies to all properties in all wastewater districts where the sewer main passes through or is adjacent to a property, or is capable of providing a service to the property such as vacant land. The Wastewater Service Availability Charge of $390.45 per year applies to non-connected properties.
Q: I have a vacant property in Loch Sport. Why am I being charged non-connected tariffs?
The Loch Sport Sewerage Scheme project is now declared fully serviced. This means all residential property owners are now required to connect their property to the newly installed pressure sewer system.
If you do not connect, a non-connected Wastewater Service Availability Charge will continue to be billed every four months. Once you are connected, the connected Wastewater Service Availability Charge of $780.96 per year will apply.
Click here for more information about the Loch Sport Sewerage Scheme.
Easyway payment card if you are in a payment plan with us.
Visit our Other Payment Methods page for full details.
How do I set up Direct Debit on my account?
By contacting Gippsland Water on 1800 050 500.
Completing an online application form at the Direct Debit registrations page.
Completing an application form and sending in to Gippsland Water.
Further information relating to Direct Debit can be found in the FAQ section of the online application link.
Am I eligible for a concession on my water bill?
Water concessions are available to all residential customers for their primary place of residence who are currently receiving a benefit from Centrelink and have either a healthcare card, a pension concession card, or a concession card through the Department of Veterans Affairs.
How do I attach my concession to my Gippsland Water account?
Contact Gippsland Water on 1800 050 500 and advise us of your concession details.
Complete a concession application form.
How can I tell if my concession has already been attached?
Concessions are displayed on the front page of your Gippsland Water bill under the heading 'Account Summary'.
Do I need to update my concession details if I move?
Yes. We are unable to move your concession to a new residence until the address has been updated with Centrelink, as entitlements are only valid against a customer's primary place of residence.
How much am I entitled to with my concession?
if you only have one service, the concession is up to $160.45 a year.
I forgot to add my concession, can this be backdated?
Yes. If verified correctly, concession entitlements can be backdated up to 12 months or three bills.
How do I set up a Gippsland Water account as a tenant?
Contact Gippsland Water on 1800 050 500.
The real estate agent or private landlord is able to set up this account on your behalf although they will require the above listed personal details to list on your account.
Request a company to do this on your behalf when completing your tenancy form.
How much notice do I need to provide when moving in our out of a property?
Gippsland Water requires two business days' notice to arrange a read of the water meter at your current or new property prior to moving in or closing an account.
Does my Gippsland Water account follow me when I move?
No. Account numbers are created and are unique to both person and address. If you move, a new account number will be created unique to both you and the property.
Do I need to notify a change in living arrangements?
No. The only time Gippsland Water needs to know about a change in household members is if this person requires access to discuss details on the account or wishes to be listed as a responsible party on the bill.
As an owner, am I able to vacate and set up accounts on behalf of my tenants?
Can I set up a tenant on a commercial property?
Yes. However, tenancies on a commercial property are different and are referred to as a third party agreement. A third party agreement between the owner and commercial tenant is required to say that the tenant will take on the full responsibility of the water charges including tariffs and water usage. However, the ultimate responsibility for these accounts still remains with the owner of the property.
As such, the initial bill will always be issued to the third party customer first. Any reminder or further notices regarding an account will be issued to the owner as the responsible party.
Note – We do not conduct meter reads when a commercial tenant moves in or out of a property.
How do I connect/disconnect my standard residential connections?
For information on standard residential connections, please visit the Connections page.
For information on disconnections, please visit the Disconnections page.
Is Gippsland Water responsible for stormwater?
No. Stormwater is managed by your local council and is not the responsibility of Gippsland Water.
Why am I being charged a waterways and drainage charge?
Gippsland Water customers in Drouin and part of Neerim South, west of the ridge, receive an annual Waterways and Drainage charge from South East Water.
The Waterways and Drainage Charge is not related to Gippsland Water's water and sewerage charges. The charge is a separate charge collected by the local water retailers on Melbourne Water's behalf.
For more information about Melbourne Water's Waterways and Drainage Charge, visit their website.
How do I change my name on my Gippsland Water account?
For changes of name in relation to owners of a property, Gippsland Water works from the title as per Land Victoria to determine the name on the account. Name changes can occur for a number of reasons i.e. marriage, death, or sale of a property. For any changes to name, proof will be required to make these changes. More detail is required for each circumstance.
Tenants - Change of name for a tenant account can be done by verbal or written communication.
How do I cancel or set up my account for a property I have purchased or sold?
When purchasing a property, your solicitor or conveyancer should notify Gippsland Water of the sale or purchase of a property and should also include the settlement date. Gippsland Water will lodge these requests and at settlement, Gippsland Water will attend the property to read the meter. Once read, a final bill will be issued to the previous owner and a new account created for the new owner to commence from the same time.
What charges will I need to pay?
Tariffs for a property are paid as part of settlement of a property. However, any water usage from the previous bill read and the settlement date will be issued out to the previous owner as a final account.
I have a credit on my account – am I able to obtain a refund?
A refund application form will need to be completed and signed by all parties listed on the account. All parties will need to sign this application form or it is unable to be processed.
Please contact Gippsland Water on 1800 050 500 for a refund application form.
Can I move my credit onto another account with Gippsland Water?
Yes. In order to move a credit from one account to another, all account holders where the credit is located will need to provide permission either verbally or in writing to move the credit from their account to another.
Has the repeal of the Carbon Tax had an impact on my Gippsland Water bill?
Yes. All Gippsland Water customers, excluding new Loch Sport customers, will receive a refund of $4.74. The refund will appear on the bill that you will receive between 1st March and 30th June 2015.
Will I receive another refund next year?
No. This is a once-off refund to return all unused carbon tax cost provisions for the 2 year period from 1st July 2013 to 30th June 2015.
How will I know the refund is included on my bill?
The refund will be identified separately, using the words "Carbon Tax Refund - 2013/14 and 2014/15'.
How has the figure been calculated?
Gippsland Water has worked with the Essential Services Commission (ESC) to determine the value of the refund. Put simply it is the total reduction in Gippsland Water's electricity bill as a result of the repeal of the carbon tax (for the 2 year period from 1st July 2013 to 30th June 2015), divided by the number of Gippsland Water customers. The resulting refund value is $4.74.
Is Gippsland Water passing on all the savings brought about by the repeal of the Carbon Tax?
Yes, all savings have been passed on in full to customers as required by the Essential Services Commission.
Will there be any impact on my bill over the next three years?
Yes. Gippsland Water tariffs for 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18 also included provision for carbon tax costs. Moving forward, tariffs will be reduced each year to reflect the removal of these carbon tax costs, as part of the ESC's annual tariff approval process. As such, any increases in your bill over that time will be below the rate of inflation.
Q: What happens if there is a sewerage spill on my property?
Spills of any size should be reported immediately to Gippsland Water via the faults and emergency line on 1800 057 057.
Gippsland Water will respond as quickly as possible to assist the customer and to protect the environment.
Gippsland Water provides assistance with cleaning costs and recently developed a guarantee service level for spills: If a sewerage spill is not contained in a house within one hour then affected customers will receive $500, in addition to our existing commitment to provide assistance with cleaning costs.
Gippsland Water has an obligation to report spills (over a certain size) to the Environment Protection Authority (EPA).
Q: What happens if I make a claim against Gippsland Water?
Certain events may trigger a public liability claim against Gippsland Water.
All claims need to be made in writing to Gippsland Water providing evidence of the incident.
Have their insurers act on our behalf to manage the claim.
Sign a deed of release/settlement.