Financial assistance

Sydney Water understands that people experience financial difficulties. It is important for everyone to have access to essential water services. If you are having trouble paying your water bill, Sydney Water can help. Call us on 13 20 92

Our Payment Assistance Policy (PDF - 40KB) provides more information about Sydney Water's commitment to helping customers experiencing hardship.

Financial assistance:

• Concessions
• Centrepay
• Payment arrangements
• Payment assistance scheme (PAS)
• PlumbAssist
• BillAssist
• No interest loan scheme (NILS®)

Concessions

Concessions and rebates (PDF - 603KB) are available to assist eligible pensioners and families. If you receive an aged, disability or service pension or government allowance you may be eligible for a concession on your water bill.

Centrepay

Centrepay is a free direct bill-paying service offered to customers receiving income support. Customers can choose to pay bills by having a regular amount deducted from Centrelink payments. Centrepay is Sydney Water’s preferred payment option for customers receiving income support. Customers who choose to use Centrepay benefit from its convenience and security, knowing payments are under control.

Payment arrangements

If you're having trouble paying your water bill, contact us to discuss a payment arrangement that suits your needs. We may:

• defer your payment for a short time
• arrange for you to pay your bill by instalments
• refer you to an accredited community agency for financial assistance.

Payment Assistance Scheme (PAS)

If you are having difficulty paying your water bill, you may apply for help through the Payment Assistance Scheme. Assistance payments are credited directly to customer accounts. A payment plan is required after receiving PAS once.

PAS is available to customers who own and occupy their home or private tenants who are responsible for paying for their water use. Sydney Water can refer customers to community service agencies and local neighbourhood centres that assess for eligibility.

PlumbAssist

Sydney Water has introduced a plumbing service for customers in financial difficulty who need essential plumbing work or have a plumbing emergency. Contact our BillAssist team for a PlumbAssist assessment. Call us on 13 20 92.

To be eligible you must be:

• the owner occupier of the residence
• experiencing financial hardship
• unable to afford essential or emergency plumbing repairs.

Plumbing work includes repairing or replacing leaking or broken toilets, hot water systems, other internal plumbing and outdoor pipes and concealed leaks.

BillAssist

BillAssist is Sydney Water’s customer assistance program for customers with long-term payment difficulties. BillAssist case coordinators are qualified community service professionals who proactively assist customers with payment difficulties and/or growing debt. Call us on 13 20 92.

BillAssist can help:

• extend the due date on a customer’s bill
• arrange regular payment plans
• register customers for Centrepay
• arrange Payment Assistance Scheme (PAS) payments
• check whether the customer has leaks and refer them to the PlumbAssist program
• refer the customer to financial counsellors
• refer customers to the No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) for energy and water efficient appliances
• refer customers to the Home Power Savings Program for a free retrofit and energy audit
• provide customers with other specialist advice and inform them of other assistance options.

No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS®)

Sydney Water supports a No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS®) to help customers in financial difficulty. A number of accredited community agencies provide these loans to help customers buy basic household items such as water efficient washing machines.

View a list of accredited community agencies in NSW. More information about NILS® is available www.NILSnsw.org.au.