Water Services

Contact information

Council operates a 24 hour phone service for residents to report water main breakages. Non-urgent issues should be directed through to the relevant area's message service.

Please call 1300 MY NBRC (1300 696 272).

If your issue is urgent, follow the prompts to be connected to the appropriate water officer.

Water Restrictions

Water Restrictions Schedule - Excerpt from NBRC Drought Management Plan

Update 18-04-13

Gayndah moves to Level 3 water restrictions and Mundubbera remains on normal water operations / low level restrictions. 

Restrictions have been lifted from all other towns within the North Burnett Regional Council area.

Town water supplies have been cleared and the boiled water alert has been lifted for all towns.

Water Rates and Charges

Further information in relation to water rates and charges is available on our Rates and Charges page.

Water Meters Explained

Every property in the region with a connection to the water supply has a service connection. A service connection consists of the following:

Water Meter
Read twice a year by Council to determine your consumption.  See below for "How to Read Your Meter".

Meter Box and lid
The meter box and lid provides protection to the water meter.  Please ensure that you close the lid properly.  Note that some water meters do not have a meter box and lid.

Ball Valve
The ball valve lets you turn your water supply on and off.  The water supply is on when the handle is in line with the water pipe.  The ball valve is a quarter turn tap.

All of these components are the responsibility of the Council.  Please phone the above contact numbers for maintenance or other problems with your service connection.

How to Read Your Meter

Council water meters are read twice a year by our meter readers and may be checked at random.

To read your water meter follow these steps:

1. Locate your Water Meter Box and Lid

2. Carefully remove the lid.

3. Open the display cover on the meter to reveal the reading.

Black numbers on a white background are kilolitres and white numbers on a red background are litres.  When reading the water meter only the black numbers are read (kilolitres)

For example the above reading is 1234 kilolitres.

4. Close the display cover on the meter.

5. Correctly replace the water meter box lid.

Please Help Our Meter Readers

Most of our customers are very considerate and we would like to thank them for their co-operation.  It is each property owners responsibility to ensure that the meter is kept visible and accessible at all times.  Please keep the following points in mind:

• Keep the meter clear by cutting back vegetation around the meter.
• Do not bury the meter when gardening.
• Meters are usually installed inside the property and reasonable access is required.
• We Like Dogs, but occasionally they decide they want to have a taste of our meter readers.  Please ensure that aggressive dogs are kept under control.

Water leaks - who is responsible?

It is inevitable that water pipes and fittings will leak. As the property owner, you are responsible for any leaks occurring on the property side of the water meter. Council is responsible for any water leaks at the water meter and on the road side of the water meter. Water leaks on the road side of the water meter will not result in a consumption charge for you as the water has not yet passed through the water meter. Council will repair all leaks on the road side of the water meter at no charge.

Checking for leaks

You can use your water meter to check for leaks within your property. Many leaks in pipes do not show a puddle on the surface.

You can easily check for water leaks on your property using the water meter (see the "Water Rates" section for instructions on reading water meters) :

• Turn off all water appliances in your house, but not your hot water system (ensure no one is using the water)
• Read your water meter.
• Take another reading in about 30 minutes (if possible wait overnight, or complete the task when you are going out)
• If the reading has changed, contact a licensed plumber to locate and repair the leak.

The Water Treatment Process

NB: This information applies only to the Gayndah water scheme. Information for other districts will be available soon.

Raw water is pumped from the Burnett River via two Bore pumps to the Water Filtration Plant in Simon Street where it is treated and then stored in clear water reservoirs.

The raw water is pre-dosed with Chlorine, Carbon and aerated prior to filtration. Following filtration, the treated water is dosed with chlorine, and stored in clear water reservoirs.

The treated water is then pumped to main storage reservoirs on the Duke and Duchess. From the storage reservoirs water is distributed around the township by gravitational reticulation mains.

The operation of the pumps that supply water to the water filtration plant and subsequently to the main storage reservoirs are automatically controlled via a telemetry system. Signals for the system are transmitted by radio back to the control centre located at the water filtration plant. Levels at the various reservoirs can be changed to suit demand conditions. The total storage reservoir capacity is 3ML.

Saving Water

When you consider you are paying for your water, it is worth taking a look at your bathroom, laundry, kitchen and garden habits to see if you can cut back on wastage.

The good news is that using less water is easy. We can continue to do all the things we do now - including having a great shower - and still use less water. With the help of some water efficient products, and by making a few minor changes to the way we do things, we can all save water and money, as well as help protect the environment.

Water Study

This study examines the feasibility of establishing market mechanisms to encourage economic efficiency of rural water-use, including managing environmental Externalities.

http://www.pc.gov.au/study/waterstudy/draftreport/waterstudy.pdf

Take a look through the tips below for some clever shortcuts to savings:

Quick Tips in the Home

• Checking for leaks in taps, pipes and dishwasher hoses is an easy way to reduce water wastage. Remember, one leaking tap can waste more than 2,000 litres a month.
• The most water efficient methods for cooking vegetables are microwaving, steaming or using a pressure cooker. You can also cut down on water loss by using tight lids on pots and simmering instead of boiling rapidly.
• Installing water efficient taps or tap aerators is a great, inexpensive way to cut your water usage without you even noticing.
• Put the plug in the sink when washing your hands instead of holding them under running water.
• Thaw frozen foods before you need them or use the microwave instead of placing them under running water.
• Prevent taps from leaking by turning taps off lightly and replace washers as soon as they begin to leak.
• Automatic dishwashers can use up to 40 litres of water per load. By using a dishwasher with at least an AAA rating, you can get this figure down to 18 litres per load and still get the kind of sparkling clean dishes you´re used to.
• It´s best to wait until you have a full load in your dishwasher before using it. This saves water and energy, and reduces the amount of detergent entering the sewerage system.
• Washing fruit and vegies in a half-filled sink instead of under running water is a great way to cut back on water wastage.
• Rinsing your dishes in a plugged sink rather than under a running tap saves water and is just as easy and effective.
• Most washing machines have a load adjustment button or dial, so try to set this to match the amount of washing you´re doing. If your machine doesn´t have a load adjustment function, try to wait until you have enough washing for a full load.
• Installing one of the latest AAA-rated showerheads can give you a great shower and save you around 10 litres of water a minute. They also save you energy costs, as you´ll use less hot water.
• To rinse your razor, run a little water into a plugged sink. Rinsing your razor under a running tap wastes lots of water.
• There´s no need to leave the tap running while you brush your teeth. Simply wet your toothbrush before you begin and use a glass of water to rinse your mouth.

Quick Tips Outside

• Regularly check your outdoor taps, pipes and plumbing fixtures for leaks. Just one dripping tap can waste more than 2,000 litres a month.
• Watering your garden in the cool of the early morning, or in the evening reduces water loss through evaporation.
• When planting new garden beds, group plants with similar watering needs together.
• Choosing local native varieties and other water wise plants attracts wildlife and means less maintenance and watering.
• If you need a watering system consider installing a drip irrigation system. It will cut wastage by making sure the water goes only where you need it.
• Use deep mulch and add compost to your soil. These add nutrients and help to retain moisture and reduce evaporation.
• It´s best to water the roots and soil around plants rather than spraying the leaves and flowers.
• A good soaking every now and then will help make your lawn more drought resistant by encouraging deeper roots.
• Try to keep the water level of your pool halfway up the skimmer opening. Overfilling the pool stops the skimmer working efficiently and wastes water.
• A pool cover is a clever way to reduce evaporation and the need to regularly top up your pool´s water level. Without a cover, more than half the water in your pool can evaporate over a year.
• Paths, patios and driveways must never be hosed. Use a broom, rake or outdoor blower or vacuum instead.
• When washing your car, park it on the lawn and use a bucket for washing and rinsing. This way you can save water, as well as water and fertilise your lawn - car shampoos use phosphates that are similar to many fertilisers.