How your bill is calculated

Water service charge - applies to properties connected to our water network of pipes, pumps and reservoirs and helps pay for new infrastructure, operating and maintaining the water network and the fire-fighting capacity the network provides.

For non-residential customers, water service charges are based on the size and number of the water meters supplying a property.

Urban Utilities sets a daily price each financial year for minimum sized water meters (20-25mm) and applies a multiplier, or Combined Flow Capacity Factor (CFCF), to larger meters.

As displayed on your bill, the calculation of the Water Service charge is as follows:

CFCF x Daily Price x Days Charged = Water Service charge

Sewerage service charge - applies to properties connected to our sewers and helps to pay for the maintenance and operation of the infrastructure needed to collect, transport and treat the sewage from your business safely and sustainably.

For non-residential customers, sewerage service charges are based on the size and number of the water meters supplying a property multiplied by a Discharge Factor (DF) percentage.

Once again, Urban Utilities sets a daily price each financial year for minimum sized water meters (20-25mm) and applies a multiplier, or Combined Flow Capacity Factor (CFCF), to larger meters.

Customers with larger (and/or multiple) water connections typically discharge more sewage to our network and use more of our sewage treatment and transport capacity. 

As displayed on your bill, the calculation of the Sewerage Service charge is as follows:

CFCF x Daily Price x Days Charged x DF = Sewerage Service charge

Water usage charges - are tiered to promote water efficiency, so the more you use in your operation, the more you pay.

Usage up to 822L per day (the daily equivalent to 300kL per annum) is charged at the Tier 1 price, and usage over 822L per day is charged at the Tier 2 price.

As such, the calculation of the Urban Utilities water usage charge is as follows:

Water Usage up to Tier 1 Threshold (kL) x Water Usage Tier 1 Price + Water Usage over Tier 1 Threshold (kL) x Water Usage Tier 2 Price = Urban Utilities Water Usage charge

Sewage disposal charge - is a new charge to replace pedestal charges and some trade waste charges. It was introduced on Friday 1 October 2021 as part of our Simpler Pricing initiative.

Based on the volume of sewage a non-residential customer is estimated to discharge into our sewers, it contributes to treatment costs for sewage up to domestic strength as well as the costs associated with collecting and transporting sewage from a property.

As there's typically no meter at a property to measure sewage discharge, we estimate the sewage discharge based on your metered water use and your Discharge Factor percentage.

As displayed on your bill, the calculation of the Sewage Disposal charge is as follows:

Water Usage (kL) x DF x Domestic Strength Waste Price 

Sewage Disposal charges only apply to non-residential customers.

A non-residential property in Brisbane supplied by two water meters (25mm and 50mm) with a Discharge Factor of 0.9 uses 100 kilolitres of water is a 91-day meter reading period, equating to an average daily use of 1099L per day.

As this is above the 822L per day Water Usage Tier 2 threshold, Tier 2 charges apply.

*Set and controlled by the State Government. Urban Utilities passes it on to customers via their bills without any mark up.