Water Rebates

Council offers a variety of rebates and concessions to help customers save water and money and be kinder to the environment.

These include incentives to install rainwater tanks and upgrade internal plumbing as well as offering savings on water and sewer charges to eligible pensioners.  

Rebates

In order to encourage residents who are connected to town water supplies to reduce water consumption, subsidies are available for the purchase of rainwater tanks and installation of dual flush toilets.

Dual Flush Toilet Rebate

A quarter of the water used in the bathroom is flushed down the toilet. Switching to a more water efficient toilet, such as a dual flush toilet, you can save money on water and electricity bills and help the environment! 

Council offers a rebate to eligible ratepayers for the supply and installation of a dual flush toilet. To be eligible,

  • The property must be connected to Singletons potable water supply.
  • The purchases must be made after 1 July 2012, and be installed in a dwelling constructed and occupied before 1 July 2005 (pre-BASIX dwellings)
  • Provide evidence of purchase and installation of a dual flush toilet
The rebate amount is reviewed annually and published in Council’s adopted Operational Plan. 

Application can be made by completing the Dual Flush Cistern / Toilet Rebate Form.

Rainwater Tank Rebate

Rainwater tanks not only save water and the environment but can provide a valuable source of water for gardens, cleaning and other household purposes. NSW Health does not recommend the use of water from rainwater tanks for drinking or food preparation if a town water supply is available.

Council offers a rebate to eligible ratepayers who wish to reduce their consumption of town water by installing a rainwater tank. To be eligible, the applicant must have installed a rainwater tank that:

  • Was purchased on or after 01 July 2012, evidence of purchase and installation is required
  • Has a minimum capacity of 2,000 litres
  • Is not installed as a requirement for new development or BASIX requirements
  • Is not installed as a requirement on a condition of development / construction or subdivision consent
  • Is in accordance with the current NSW Code of Practice Plumbing and Drainage
  • Is on land that has an approved connection to a potable water supply owned by Council
  • Is a new tank and is covered by a minimum of 12 months warranty
  • Has all associated plumbing work completed by a licensed plumber
  • Is used for collection and storage of rainwater for use on the site
  • Is to operate for a period of five years after installation.

The rebate amount is reviewed annually and published in Council’s adopted Operational Plan.

Application can be made by completing the Rainwater Tank Rebate Form.

Concessions

Council provides a range of concessions to eligible customers.

Pensioner Concession

Council provides a statutory pensioner concession relating to Rates and Charges under the provisions of Section 575 of the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) to eligible pensioners.

The concession only applies to a property where the pensioner owns and occupies. To be eligible, the owner must:

  • Hold a Pensioner Concession Card (PCC)
  • Hold a gold card embossed with ‘TPI’ (Totally Permanently Incapacitated)
  • Hold a gold card embossed with ‘EDA’ (Extreme Disablement Adjustment)
  • War widow or widower or wholly dependent partner entitled to the DVA income support supplement.  

Application must be made by completing a Pensioner Concession Rebate Application Form and all information must be provided before the application can be assessed.

The POL/6008 Pensioner Concession Policy outlines the eligibility criteria, supporting information required and approval conditions.

 

Home Dialysis Life Support Customer Concession

It is necessary for customers to advise Council if there is a requirement for water to maintain special medical needs. Council maintains a register of residential properties that operate life support machines such as dialysis machines. This information is available to Council staff to ensure, as much as possible, that a continuous supply of drinking water is maintained at those locations in the event of a burst water main or planned shutdown.

Some special health needs customers may also receive a rebate on water charges. Council recognises that water is a vital aspect of kidney dialysis and will limit water usage charges where it is confirmed that a resident of the property is using a dialysis machine.  

More information about these rebates, eligibility and how to apply can be obtained in section 5.2.5 Concessions and Rebates – Home Dialysis Life Support Customers of Council’s POL/26030 Water Supply Services Policy.

 

Concealed or Undetected Water Leak Concession

Council has assistance available to customers, providing some relief for significantly higher Water Accounts resulting from undetected or concealed water leaks. 

An undetected water leak is one that is hidden from view either underground or under concrete, and a property owner could not reasonably be expected to be aware of its existence; or that internal plumbing has shortcomings.  

In cases where an undetected water leak has been found and repaired, the customer can apply for a Water Consumption Adjustment Application for a portion of the Water Usage Account Charges. 

The maximum concessional allowance assistance will be a one-off reduction of 200 kilolitres per property. To be eligible, Council requires the leak to have been repaired by a licensed plumber and proof of the repair. 

Applications must be received within 20 working days of the receipt of the Water Usage Account being issued and an application of the undetected leak reduction does not remove the customer’s obligation to pay outstanding charges for the water supplied.

The full conditions of the assistance available are contained in the section 5.2.1 Concessions and Rebates of the POL/26030 Water Supply Services Policy.

 

 

 

        
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