Water charges Auckland Rental properties

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Aredwood

3885 posts

Uber Geek

#801828 18-Apr-2013 19:00

nickb800: Do they allow a second meter to measure outdoor water use? I've heard of this in the states, an arrangement where all outdoor taps run off a separate sub-meter, so they charge your water consumption off the main meter, and then your wastewater consumption based on the difference between the two meters

Yes you can. What you want is an irrigation meter. You apply for one via Watercare's standard "new water meter / new connection process". Watercare will install a second meter next to your existing one. You then need to pay a plumber to install a new pipe from that meter and connect it to your hose taps and irrigation system.

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Goosey

2346 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#801866 18-Apr-2013 20:14

Aredwood:
nickb800: Do they allow a second meter to measure outdoor water use? I've heard of this in the states, an arrangement where all outdoor taps run off a separate sub-meter, so they charge your water consumption off the main meter, and then your wastewater consumption based on the difference between the two meters

Yes you can. What you want is an irrigation meter. You apply for one via Watercare's standard "new water meter / new connection process". Watercare will install a second meter next to your existing one. You then need to pay a plumber to install a new pipe from that meter and connect it to your hose taps and irrigation system.

The second meter seems hardly worth considering to install espcially retro fitting !
New home build Id understand but an exisiting property... shhhesh the cost of running underground services from the boundary to your home....it would pay for your years worth of water and more !

Regs

4064 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Snowflake

#801872 18-Apr-2013 20:24

Aredwood:
nickb800: Do they allow a second meter to measure outdoor water use? I've heard of this in the states, an arrangement where all outdoor taps run off a separate sub-meter, so they charge your water consumption off the main meter, and then your wastewater consumption based on the difference between the two meters

Yes you can. What you want is an irrigation meter. You apply for one via Watercare's standard "new water meter / new connection process". Watercare will install a second meter next to your existing one. You then need to pay a plumber to install a new pipe from that meter and connect it to your hose taps and irrigation system.

from what i've heard, the irrigation meter and backflow devices cost in the vicinity of $2k plus whatever your own plumbing costs are.

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bazzer

3438 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#802007 19-Apr-2013 02:40

hangon:
Isn't that why wastewater out is a percentage of water used rather than all the water used?

yes and no.

the percentage (78.5%) was based on some research of average household. there are fine prints that some customers may be charged a different rate, but afaik most if not all residential are charged at that rate.

now is it wrong to say, since the average salary is $48k a year (June 12), everyone's tax rate should be capped at 17.5%?

that might be a bit extreme, variation of produce waste water is likely significantly less than the salaries.

however the end result, for anyone (other than landlords, some of who enjoyed a 10% rate hike instead) i talked to, is that their waste water bill increased. for tenants, it's particularly bad, it's like their water bill increased 160% overnight.

the policy doesn't seem to encourage the grey water usage - tree huggers (no offence) using bio degradable shampoo and connect shower to water vege gardens? they still need to pay waste water charges on every droplet they saved.

Yes and no? Sounds like yes and yes. Where does the no come in?

Granted it's not 100% fair, but charging a proportion of incoming is surely fairer than charging each household a flat rate (unless you use a lot). I know when it changed over I did the sums and I'd need to use a lot of water to pay the same for waste as I was paying before.

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