Your Water Notice
Livingstone Shire Council issue water notices each quarter (every three months).
The notices contain water consumption charges based on the reading of council's water meter installed on your property. Council’s annual water access charge is included in the rates notices, not in your water usage notice.
Notices are addressed to the owner of the property. Residents are encouraged to assist in making this process as efficient as possible by properly maintaining access to the water meter.
Understanding your water bill
The below Q&A is designed to help you understand your water bill and how to monitor your water usage.
Quick links:
How are the water charges calculated?
Council applies two types of water charges; a water access charge and a water consumption charge. These combined charges cover the costs related to water supply such as operating costs, maintenance, upgrade and expansion costs, and depreciation. This tariff structure is in line with Queensland and Australian Government recommendations on water charging.
- Water Access Charge
The water access charge is a fixed charge that appears on your half-yearly general rates notice. It applies to all properties connected to, or able to connect to, the town water supply. Broadly this charge helps cover the cost of maintaining and operating the water network and ensuring water services are available to your property.
- Water Consumption Charge
Water consumption charges are based on the amount of water used at your property, measured in kilolitres (kL), where 1 kL equals 1,000 litres.
Water consumption notices are issued quarterly. Broadly these charges help cover the variable costs including treatment and delivering water to customers.
Residential properties are charged using a graduated two-tier pricing structure, which resets each quarter. Water use within the first tier is charged at a lower rate, while water use above the Tier 1 threshold is charged at a higher rate. This approach encourages responsible water use.
Non-residential properties, such as commercial and industrial properties, are charged using a single-tier pricing structure, where all water consumption is charged at the same rate.
The table on your quarterly water consumption notice shows your total water use and how your usage has been allocated across the applicable charging tier or tiers, and the total amount charged.
Current water charges and pricing thresholds are adopted by Council each year and are available in Council's Revenue Statement(PDF, 1MB).
Why does my bill vary each quarter?
The price paid for water used at your property is reflected on your water bill and varies depending on how many kilolitres of water you use per quarter. Your total billed amount is calculated based on the two-tiered quarterly consumption charges and how many kilolitres of water you used (1kL = 1000 litres).
Your water bill may vary each quarter depending on the exact number of days in your water meter-reading period, dry or wet seasonal conditions, number of people in your household/extra visitors to your home, swimming pools or leaks. Residents who use water efficiently are rewarded with lower charges.
Why is my bill higher than usual?
If you consider the reading on your Water Usage Notice is excessive, you can conduct tests at home to assess if the meter is accurately recording consumption or if you have an internal leak that may be the cause of the high usage.
If you think there may be a leak in your internal pipes (all pipes on the property side of the meter), refer to Council’s Concealed Leak Refund/Waiver page for further information.
If you believe the leak is not internal and you wish to have your water meter tested by Council, you will need to submit an application and pay the relevant fee. You can lodge the application via Council's online services or download the Water Meter Verification Test(PDF, 73KB) form and lodge manually. You can conduct your own consumption test, which may assist you in deciding if you would like to request Council to conduct a test on your water meter.
Conducting a Consumption Test
To conduct your own consumption test complete the following:
- Turn off all taps to ensure no water is being used (do NOT turn off the meter tap).
- Take a reading of the water meter.
- Fill a container of known volume (e.g. 200L drum).
- Take another reading of the water meter and calculate the amount of water used.
The difference between the two readings should be approximately equal to the capacity of the container.
This consumption test is for your information only. The results of this test will not be acted upon by Council.
Your water usage notice explained
In July 2025, Council introduced a new-look water usage notice to make it clearer, more modern, and easier to read.
This redesign brings you the same important information in a layout that’s simpler to follow.
See the front and back of the new notice with section-by-section explanations at the link below.
Your Water Usage Notice Explained