Residential prices and charges
There’s a lot that goes into delivering clean, safe drinking water and a reliable sewer service.
On this page
What your bill pays for
For an average of $2.90* per day, we’re there when you turn on a tap, flush a toilet, wash the dishes, have a shower or make a coffee. We’re also there to remove your wastewater and make sure it’s treated and disposed of safely. Plus all the other things that make your services possible. Your bill is made up of:
32%
Water supply services
Buying water from Melbourne Water, sampling it and maintaining it.
26%
Upgrades
Upgrades and building new water and sewer pipes, pumps and treatment plants.
20%
Wastewater services
Remove, treat and dispose of wastewater.
22%
Operating costs
24/7 response and repairs, treat and supply recycled water and customer support.
We’re continually investing in the future to deliver major projects that extend the life and efficiency of our service networks. Learn more about our projects
Usage charges for 2025-26
Based on an average residential bill* if you’re an owner occupier, you’ll pay $7.51 more each quarter. If you rent your home, it’s $5.76 more.
*An average bill is based on a residential owner occupier household who uses 150,000 litres (150 kilolitres) of water per year.
2025-26 price per kilolitre |
2024-25 price per kilolitre |
|
| Water usage (water and sewage usage) | ||
| Step 1 (0-440 litres per day) | $3.7685 | $3.6156 |
| Step 2 (over 440 litres per day) | $4.8084 | $4.6133 |
| Water usage (water only) | ||
| Step 1 (0-440 litres per day) | $3.0084 | $2.8863 |
| Step 2 (over 440 litres per day) | $3.8383 | $3.6826 |
| Recycled water usage | ||
| Class A recycled water usage | $2.3430 | $2.2881 |
A few simple changes can save bucketloads. Here are some tips on how to save water so you’re not using and paying for more than you need. See more on how to save water
Frequently asked questions about usage charges
1,000 litres.
In a real world terms, a kilolitre is the equivalent of:
25 5-minute showers
222 flushes of a dual-flush toilet
7 top loader washing cycles
14 front loader washing cycles
83 dishwasher cycles (newer models)
We’ve committed to improving our services to you, while planning for the future. That includes:
- Helping you save money and water
- Safe and reliable services
- More support when you need it
- More choice, a better experience
- Acting now to secure our future
Service charges for 2025-26
These are fixed quarterly or yearly charges which aren’t related to your usage.
| 2025-26 | 2024-25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Water service charge | ||
| price per quarter | $21.97 | $22.58 |
| price per year | $87.90 | $90.33 |
| Sewerage service charge | ||
| price per quarter | $100.41 | $98.05 |
| price per year | $401.65 | $392.22 |
Other authorities' charges
We collect a range of other charges on behalf of other government authorities' to help support our standard of living here in Victoria.
Parks charge
The Parks charge is now a quarterly charge, it goes towards maintaining parks, zoos, gardens and cultural sites, such as the Shrine of Remembrance, whichare enjoyed by all Victorians. We collect this on behalf of the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA). For more information, see Parks Victoria
The minimum charge is $22.45 per quarter. and is payable by all property owners. The Parks charge is a property based charge which is payable on all properties you own. The charge has been applied to water bills since 1958.
| 2025-26 | 2024-25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Parks charge | ||
| price per quarter | $22.45 | $21.79 |
| price per year | $89.80 | $87.19 |
Wondering what Parks Victoria parks are in our area? See our parks map
Waterways and Drainage charge
We collect this on behalf of Melbourne Water. The charge is invested in a number of areas to keep our waterways healthy, protecting us from floods and ensuring new land developments don’t increase flood risks or damage the environment as Melbourne’s population grows and our suburbs expand. For more information visit Melbourne Water
| 2025-26 | 2024-25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Waterways and Drainage charge | ||
| minimum charge per quarter | $31.25 | $30.52 |
| minimum charge per year | $125.00 | $122.08 |
Pricing and charges handbook
A pricing handbook that provides a list of South East Water’s prices and charges that recover the costs of delivering the services our customers value.
Related information
If this isn’t what you were looking for, see the following links for more information: