Waterflation? Bills up ~30% QoQ and will be up 9% YoY

RMB9 on 28/05/2026 - 12:13
Last edited 28/05/2026 - 16:23

"and scheduled to increase 5.1%+inflation every year for the next 5 years"

Just paid my water bill but what the bananas is this? I thought we just started just leaving taps on around the house.

Theres been so much focus on electricity that I feel like this is just being sweeped under the rug.

Who are these tribunal people who think its okay to be increasing water bills ~9% YoY for the next 5 years.

Are we collapsing as a country?

Quarterly Bill cost
2023 Bill cost ~$229 | $920 yearly
2024 Bill cost ~235
2025 Bill cost ~245
2026 Bill cost ~302
Projected 2030 cost ~428 | $1700 yearly (+87% in 7 years)

YoY Comparison because Data!
Water service:
2025: $16.71
2026: $29.40
Increase: +$12.69 (75.9% increase)

Wastewater (sewerage) service:
2025: $154.19
2026: $172.50
Increase: +$18.31 (11.9% increase)

Stormwater drainage area:
2025: $21.98
2026: $28.76
Increase: +$6.78 (30.8% increase)

Water Usage Rate:
2025: $2.6700 per kL
2026: $3.1700 per kL
Increase: +$0.50 per kL (18.7% rate increase)

Home & Garden Water Supply

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  • Rkel403 on 28/05/2026 - 13:43

    Nasty consumers need to reduce their water usage there’s only so much available.
    On a separate and completely unrelated topic , sure are a lot of data centres popping up ….

    • 6
  • MS Paint on 28/05/2026 - 12:51

    We live regional. No mains water or associated bills. We capture rain from the house and 400m² shed. Haven't paid for water in 15 years. Septic tank keeps the natives alive. Too easy.

    • 3
    • EightImmortals on 28/05/2026 - 13:07

      Our local council charges 800 bucks a year for water 'access' whether you actually use the water or not.

      • 3
      • tenpercent on 28/05/2026 - 13:09

        Not their fault you don't make use of your "access" /s

        • 0
    • Clear on 28/05/2026 - 16:16

      When I lived regional we used to steal water from the neighbouring multi millionaire farmer who was stealing it from crown land. Though the water was only pumped during the summer but good enough for the garden and livestock.

      It only took them about 14 years to realise.

      • 1
      • ihbh on 28/05/2026 - 19:55

        What gave it away?

        • 0
        • Clear on 28/05/2026 - 19:59

          They sold the farms and the new owners doing a drive along the fence. They found the broken pipe.

          • 0
  • harveyworld on 28/05/2026 - 13:07

    I agree - I monitor my household bills very closely and the water bills are just insane.

    You can change your gas or electrical service provider to get a better deal based on your specific needs but not your local water authority.

    I think where it all falls over is the astronomical standing charges.
    Our actual water usage is well within the suggested targets and varies very little from quarter to quarter and yet this represents a fraction of the total quarterly bill.

    On another point, I do think we are very lucky with the exceptional standard of tap water here in Vic.
    However, I don't know if they eradicate all the supposed hormones in recycled water but my man boobs have certainly gotten bigger over the years…

    • 3
    • tenpercent on 28/05/2026 - 13:10

      I don't know if they eradicate all the supposed hormones in recycled water but my man boobs have certainly gotten bigger over the years…

      But how's the missus' going?

      • 4
  • DingoBilly on 28/05/2026 - 15:05

    Honestly, water bills are pretty cheap for an entire year.

    Even your 2030 estimate - $450 for a year of water is pretty damn good. Compared to rates, maintenance, insurance costs etc. it's a bargain. Wish all my bills were that low.

    • 3
    • fantombloo on 28/05/2026 - 15:37

      $3 for 1000 litres of clean and potable water - still a bargain IMO.

      Maybe spraying it on our lawns (and I've got plenty) is not the best idea.

      • 1
      • lunchbox99 on 28/05/2026 - 17:16

        Bingo. Having virtually unlimited high quality water on tap is such a luxury people forget how cheap it is. Yet they will pay $7 twice a day for a coffee and not even think twice.

        • 1
    • RMB9 on 28/05/2026 - 16:22

      My bad, the projected are actually per Quarter. Which means by 2030, your water bill will be about 1700~, up from $900~ 7 years back

      • 0
      • Ponsonby on 28/05/2026 - 19:50

        Any analysis that does not mention changes in volume of water used seems pretty pointless.

        • 0
        • RMB9 on 28/05/2026 - 20:15

          Haha technically you could’ve probably deduced usage based on the cost projections.

          But I’m doing about 20kL which to someone’s point earlier, usage is only like 20% of the bill.

          • 0
    • hhuy837 on 29/05/2026 - 09:51

      Though I do think a 9% increase YoY is a bit of a wrought, I have always been curious about utilities/electricity one of the big things the media/politicians say are getting expensive when it is about 3-6% of our bills. So then we get a energy bill relief.

      Sure utility costs add up but are there not lower and more impactful fruit to pick? Like the interest rates, rent, insurance etc?

      • 0
      • RMB9 on 29/05/2026 - 12:03

        Thats the thing though. Historically, it should've been 3-6% of our bills. But legit, in a couple of years, it's going to be like 10-12% of our bills.

        With everything else going on, is there nothing in this country that won't double in price in 7 years?

        Given money is expected to lose about 22%-26% of its purchasing power every 10 years. How is +87% in 7 years justified.

        Hence my comment, just feels like as a nation, we're really losing our grip.

        I know for a fact my salary is not going to +87% in the same time its going to take the water bills to +87%. And the +87% is already some what confirmed.

        • 1
        • hhuy837 on 29/05/2026 - 13:38

          Technically if everything is going up then our utilities still stay 3-6%. It just means we'll either have no money we can save or we are in debt haha.

          Yeah that is the problem our salary isn't going up by that much. Not sure what we are to do - I mean it seems like most 1st world countries have this problem too. The more I think about this the more depressing it gets

          • 0
  • trapper on 28/05/2026 - 12:37

    Time to go "off grid" with water, same as we did with solar power, and start capturing our own rainwater.

    • 2
    • Caped Baldy on 28/05/2026 - 21:20

      Nah go to the local park and use the water supply near the bbq.

      • 10
    • mskeggs on 28/05/2026 - 12:48

      How do your neighbours like local sewage handling?

      • 1
  • JIMB0 on 28/05/2026 - 14:31

    Thanks for contacting the OzBargain Bill Complaints Department. Your complaint has been filed 🗑️

    In the meantime, please help yourself to a free 🪣.

    Seriously though, contact the politician responsible for water bills in your state. 🚰🤡

    • 1
    • lunchbox99 on 28/05/2026 - 17:17

      Use the free council water tap in the park while you're cooking your dinner and heating your hot water on the free council hotplate.

      • 4
  • Seraphin7 on 29/05/2026 - 08:52

    #thanksalbo

    • 1
  • mskeggs on 28/05/2026 - 12:49

    I guess the below inflation raises in 23/24/25 set this up.

    • 0
  • Ugly on 28/05/2026 - 16:11

    Massive immigration requires lots more water infrastructure.
    Gotta pay for it somehow.

    • 0
  • sam-1966 on 01/06/2026 - 16:14

    Our water bills used to come through our local council, but the state government had the wonderful idea of a sort of privatisation - merge the water suppliers together, so we are now through Unity Water which covers Moreton Bay CITY Council and the Sunshine Coast Council. (I capitalise the CITY because the REGIONAL Council was so thrilled when they because a CITY Council and the only benefit (or lack thereof) that I can see is changing a lot of signage.

    Forming these water groups also meant that each of them has to have a Board of Directors. Then a few of the 'providers' are combined to become SEQWater.

    I love having so many layers of bureaucracy to increase our bills to pay.

    • 0
  • jv on 28/05/2026 - 13:11

    #Alboinflation

    • -3
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