What are Your Rights to Continuous Service?

We aim to have no more than five unplanned interruptions to your water supply and sewerage service in any one year.  However, unexpected service interruptions can and do occur from time to time due to the failure of pipes, pumps and the like.  In addition, we need to undertake routine maintenance of our systems and this may require us to interrupt services to customers to undertake these works.

Where customers are subject to an interruption to supply we will provide the following undertakings:

Planned Works

We will provide you with 48 hours notice of our intention to interrupt, postpone or limit the supply of water or sewerage services to your property for planned maintenance works.  We will also let you know when the interruption will occur and for how long the service is likely to be affected.

Unplanned Works

In the event of an emergency or an unplanned interruption to your water supply or sewerage service we will contact you if access is required to your property to carry out repairs.  We will also:

• attend major water leaks and sewer spills on average within 60 minutes of being notified;

• restore the water leak, sewer blockage or sewer spill as quickly as possible, normally within five hours of being notified of the problem;

• provide emergency water supplies;

• ensure that information about the interruption is available from our 24-hour Customer Service Centre (1800 454 500) within 30 minutes of our becoming aware of the emergency interruption.

Special Needs

You should register with us if you need water for a life-support machine, or other special needs by contacting 1800 454 500. Once registered, we will contact you at least 4 business days before a planned interruption (and as soon as possible after an unplanned interruption) to allow you to make alternative arrangements.

Water Main Bursts / Water Leaks

If your property is damaged because of a failure in our system, we will minimise the damage and inconvenience to you, and clean up the affected area as quickly as possible.

Sewer Overflows

Where a sewer overflow occurs on your property because of a failure in our system, we will minimise the damage and inconvenience to you, and clean up the affected area as quickly as possible.

Sewer Blockages

If your sewer becomes blocked, please contact a registered plumber to clear the blockage. If the blockage is found to be our responsibility, we will either correct the fault ourselves, or pay your plumber (provided the plumber obtains our consent before clearing the blockage and agreement is reached about the charges).

If the blockage is your responsibility, you will have to pay the plumber’s costs. Residential tenants may be able to claim the cost from their landlord under the Residential Tenancies Act.