If you would like another person to have authority to manage your account, you must provide us with a written authority.

Written authority is either:

a) a signed letter including:

  • the account holders full name
  • the property address
  • the postal address and/or account number
  • the authorised persons full name and contact details
  • the signature of the account holder.

b) completion of our online Authority to act form. Alternatively you can access a printable copy of the form here or by calling us on 13 26 57 (8am-5pm weekdays).

The above written authorities can be:

  • faxed to 07 3855 6099
  • scanned and emailed
  • mailed to Urban Utilities, GPO Box 2765, Brisbane QLD 4001.

Once your written authority is received, the details of the authorised party will be recorded on the account within five working days.

It is a good idea to add your partner to the account, as this gives you the flexibility that either person can ask us any question related to the account, and we can give either person full access to the account information.

By law, we can only give information to a person who is named on the account.

You can change your details or postal address through MyAccount. Log in or sign up for MyAccount now.

Alternatively, you can complete one of the following online forms.

Eligible pension card holders are entitled to the State Government Pensioner Water Subsidy. You can find out more about the subsidy by visiting our Pensioner water subsidy section.

Urban Utilities does not issue ‘final accounts’ when a property is sold.  All financial adjustments for outstanding or overpaid amounts should be made at property settlement.  This is usually done by the solicitor or conveyancer as an adjustment to the final settlement figures.

Prior to settlement of the property sale, you or your solicitor should arrange a special water meter reading (SMR). The SMR service allows solicitors to correctly allocate responsibility of water and sewerage charges to the buyer and seller at the time of ownership change.

Important note

Any outstanding balance after a change of ownership will become the responsibility of the new property owner, as the debt remains with the land, not with the customer.
 

Formerly multi-residential, these properties are identified as having more than one dwelling on the land.

Example: a single property with four self-contained residential dwellings is classified as residential based on its predominant use.

Urban Utilities issues a single bill each quarter to the property owner, however, as per dwelling charges now apply, it contains four water and sewerage services charges as opposed to one.

If you need more time to pay your bill, we can help by extending your payment due date by 30 days: Payment extension application

If your bill is already overdue or If you need a longer period to pay and would like to speak to someone about a personalised payment arrangement, please contact us to discuss your circumstances via webchat  (7am - 7pm weekdays); general enquiry webform ; or by phoning our General Enquiries line on 13 26 57 (8am - 6pm weekdays).

Concealed leaks are difficult to locate and can be unexpected and stressful. Although owners are responsible for the cost of any water lost due to leaks on their property, we’re here to offer as much help as we can.

Check out Concealed Leak Financial Assistance for more information about our Concealed Leak Policy.

If you are experiencing difficulty paying your bill, please contact us as soon as possible to discuss how we can assist you with managing your account. You or your representative can call 13 26 57 from 8am – 5pm Monday to Friday.

We offer a number of flexible options for bill payment. For details of all your options, visit the Payment options section

Payment options include:
  • Pay online
  • Direct debit
  • BPay
  • By phone
  • By mail
  • In person

You can also pay your bill through MyAccount. Log in or sign up for MyAccount now.

If you are considering a refund, we recommend leaving the credit on your account to reduce the amount you’ll need to pay on your next bill. Otherwise, you can apply for a refund by completing the relevant refund request form.

You can view and download your bills for the last two years through MyAccount. Log in or sign up for MyAccount now.

We obtain account name information from Titles Queensland. If you’ve recently changed your name, the account will be automatically updated once the name has been changed on your property title.

Please contact Titles Queensland for more information about changing the name on your property title.

Our charges cover the costs of supplying water to your home and disposing of it safely when you have finished with it.

For more information about how your bill is calculated, see How your bill is calculated

In accordance with the Water and Sewerage Services Code for Small Customers in South East Queensland (2013), we are able to retrospectively bill back to 1 July 2010. 

Retrospective charges are billed using the same method used to calculate your normal quarterly bill. Retrospective billing is applied the same way for both commercial and residential properties.

We may average your consumption over the period that is being retrospectively billed, if we have been unable to obtain quarterly readings. This avoids consumption being tiered at an incorrect rate.

Before retrospective bills are issued, we will attempt to contact you by phone if:

  • your bill is greater than $2,000 for residential customers
  • your bill is greater than $5,000 for commercial customers

We will send you a letter to explain your retrospective charges. You may wish to contact us to discuss a payment plan if required.

Residential property landlords will receive a quarterly water and sewerage bill.

Please refer to your tenancy agreement or your real estate/landlord to understanding your specific circumstances.

By registering for BPay View®, you can receive and view your bill electronically. For further information, and to find out how to register, visit BPay View

You can also switch to paperless billing through MyAccount, by setting an email address to receive your bills. Log in or sign up for MyAccount now.

From Friday 1 October 2021, vacant land charges will only apply where:

  • water and/or sewerage services are available to a property, and
  • the property is considered to be ‘connected’ to our network.

A property is considered to be ‘connected’ to our network if the infrastructure connecting the property to our network is there, which means:

  • there could be a meter at the property,
  • a meter has been capped,
  • or a meter was there but has been removed.

As such, we’ll no longer apply charges to vacant land that isn’t and has never been ‘connected’ to our network, which means there isn’t, and never has been, a water meter nor sewer connection at the property.

Water consumption is charged according to the volume of water used and is based on a property’s meter reading. The majority of our customers are billed quarterly and there are approximately 90 days in a meter reading period. 

Water consumption charges are based on a tiered system, which is reviewed on an annual basis by water industry experts. 

  • Tier 1 represents the lowest water consumption rate. 
  • Tiers 2 and 3 apply to properties that consume larger volumes of water.

The tiered system is designed to encourage responsible water use. Under the tiered system, the price of water increases with the volume used and is calculated on a per kilolitre rate (one kilolitre = 1000 litres). 

We understand that the passing of a family member and finalising their estate can be a difficult time, and there can be a lot to organise.

Titles Queensland will notify us when a property’s ownership title changes as a result of an owner passing away, and we will update the account.

We also recommend that an authorised third party e.g. the Executor of the Estate contacts us so that we can assist with any questions about the account.

You may also wish to use the Australian Death Notification Service, which allows you to notify multiple organisations online that someone has passed away so that their accounts can be closed or transferred.

Retrospective billing occurs when accurate customer or property information is not available at the time of billing or when the services were provided. As a result we need to bill customers for water and sewerage charges that apply to previous billing periods. These are referred to as retrospective charges. 

Causes of delayed billing include

  • Change of ownership or information on a property subdivision.
  • Changes in land use.
  • New meter installations (e.g. for new property developments).

Retrospective billing typically applies to accounts where there has been no bill sent to the customer for two or more billing periods.

The South-East Queensland (Distribution and Retail Restructuring) Act 2009 provides us with the ability to bill water and sewerage charges, including retrospective charges.


From Friday 1 October 2021, vacant land charges will only apply where:

  • water and/or sewerage services are available to a property, and
  • the property is considered to be ‘connected’ to our network.

A property is considered to be ‘connected’ to our network if the infrastructure connecting the property to our network is there, which means:

  • there could be a meter at the property,
  •  a meter has been capped,
  • or a meter was there but has been removed.

As such, we’ll no longer apply charges to vacant land that isn’t and has never been ‘connected’ to our network, which means there isn’t, and never has been, a water meter nor sewer connection at the property.

When it comes to higher than expected water usage, there’s usually only a few explanations for what’s happened. Check out Why is my bill higher than normal for more information.

If we haven't been able to read your meter, it's usually because of one of the following reasons:


- a vehicle was over your meter
- landscaping or vegetation was covering the meter
- the meter was behind a locked gate
- construction or other works prevented access to the meter
- extreme weather events

Fill out ourform to provide us with your water meter self-read.