Although we take every precaution, we may have read your meter incorrectly. To check if this has happened, you’ll need to read your meter yourself.

Water meters are usually located near or just outside your property boundary. They’re in a box made of wood, plastic, concrete or metal. Here’s how to find and read your meter.

Check that the number on the meter dial is either equal to or slightly higher than the amount on the back of your most recent bill. On a mechanical meter, we bill off the black numbers. On a smart meter, we bill off the numbers before the decimal point.

It’s normal to have fluctuations in billed usage compared to your meter reading. This will be corrected on the next billing cycle. If you have a variation of more than 8kls, contact us using our online enquiry or call as at (09) 442 2222, press 2.

We aim to have a meter reader take an actual reading of your meter every two months. In between we use your previous two actual readings to calculate an estimated usage.

If you’ve had several estimated bills in a row due to obstacles like access issues and this is your first actual meter read in some time, that could explain why your bill is higher than usual. On your bill, estimated meter reads are shown on the 'billed usage history' graph with an E – actual reads are indicated with an A.

If you have a smart meter, your monthly bills reflect your property’s actual water use. You can view your household data in half-hourly, daily and monthly bites via our free app, available at the App Store or on Google Play. If you see water is being used continuously, you are likely to have a leak.

Learn more about the app

Your bill may be higher if you have extra people staying or living in your home. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Has there been a long period of time where extra people have been living or staying at your property?

• Have you installed new appliances that use more water?

• Have you used your washing machine or dishwasher more often?

More people or greater use of appliances will often lead to a higher bill.

It’s also normal to use more water in summer than in winter months. The following activities can lead to a higher water bill:

• Watering your garden more often

• Leaving outside hoses or sprinklers on by mistake

• Using a water blaster

• Filling a swimming pool

• Showering more often

• Landscaping or renovating.

If you've ruled out the above, you may have a water leak on your property. But it’s important to do a leak test before calling in a plumber. Follow the link below for how to check for and manage leaks.

How to check for leaks

Private leaks are your responsibility to fix, whereas leaks on the public network are our responsibility. Here’s a diagram of your responsibilities and our responsibilities when it comes to pipes. If you find a leak on your property, you’ll need to contact a registered plumber to fix it.