Water efficiency targets

Ever wondered how much water you should be using? Find out if you're following good water use practices around your home.

How do you work out your 'target'?

Just follow these easy steps:

Get your latest bill and check the months your usage charges are for and Your average daily usage for this bill.
Choose the months that best match the period covered by your usage charge. Don't worry if it doesn't match exactly!
Choose the row that shows how many people were in your home (most of the time).
Find your property size.
See how much water an efficient home should be using.

This is where you'll find the information on your bill.

When did you use the water?

August to October

People in the home	Small property Less than 500 m²	Medium property 501 m² to 700 m²	Large property 701 m² to 900 m²
1 person	193 L/day	195 L/day	211 L/day
2 people	341 L/day	350 L/day	371 L/day
3 people	447 L/day	462 L/day	484 L/day
4 people	512 L/day	532 L/day	556 L/day
5 people	537 L/day	560 L/day	581 L/day

What are these numbers based on?

We use water in lots of different ways around the home so there are many factors that determine how much water you use.

These numbers show litres per household per day and are based on household members:

using water outdoors 2-3 times a week on average to maintain lawns and garden, top up the pool, wash the car etc
having a 4.5 minute shower each day using a water efficient showerhead (no more than 9 litres/minute)
using a dual flush toilet
using a front loading washing machine and no more than 2 loads per person per week
using water efficient taps fitted with aerators
using the dishwasher no more than once a day
having a bath only occasionally
fixing any obvious leaks around the home.

November to January

People in the home	Small property Less than 500 m²	Medium property 501 m² to 700 m²	Large property 701 m² to 900 m²
1 person	198 L/day	203 L/day	216 L/day
2 people	352 L/day	364 L/day	382 L/day
3 people	460 L/day	480 L/day	499 L/day
4 people	528 L/day	554 L/day	572 L/day
5 people	553 L/day	582 L/day	598 L/day

What are these numbers based on?

using water outdoors 2-3 times a week on average to maintain lawns and garden, top up the pool, wash the car etc
having a 4.5 minute shower each day using a water efficient showerhead (no more than 9 litres/minute)
using a dual flush toilet
using a front loading washing machine and no more than 2 loads per person per week
using water efficient taps fitted with aerators
using the dishwasher no more than once a day
having a bath only occasionally
fixing any obvious leaks around the home.

February to April

People in the home	Small property Less than 500 m²	Medium property 501 m²to 700 m²	Large property 701 m² to 900 m²
1 person	202 L/day	203 L/day	218 L/day
2 people	357 L/day	365 L/day	385 L/day
3 people	467 L/day	481 L/day	502 L/day
4 people	536 L/day	555 L/day	576 L/day
5 people	562 L/day	584 L/day	603 L/day

What are these numbers based on?

using water outdoors 2-3 times a week on average to maintain lawns and garden, top up the pool, wash the car etc
having a 4.5 minute shower each day using a water efficient showerhead (no more than 9 litres/minute)
using a dual flush toilet
using a front loading washing machine and no more than 2 loads per person per week
using water efficient taps fitted with aerators
using the dishwasher no more than once a day
having a bath only occasionally
fixing any obvious leaks around the home.

May to July

People in the home	Small property Less than 500 m²	Medium property 501 m² to 700 m²	Large property 701 m² to 900 m²
1 person	185 L/day	190 L/day	202 L/day
2 people	328 L/day	342 L/day	358 L/day
3 people	429 L/day	451 L/day	467 L/day
4 people	493 L/day	519 L/day	535 L/day
5 people	516 L/day	546 L/day	560 L/day

What are these numbers based on?

using water outdoors 2-3 times a week on average to maintain lawns and garden, top up the pool, wash the car etc
having a 4.5 minute shower each day using a water efficient showerhead (no more than 9 litres/minute)
using a dual flush toilet
using a front loading washing machine and no more than 2 loads per person per week
using water efficient taps fitted with aerators
using the dishwasher no more than once a day
having a bath only occasionally
fixing any obvious leaks around the home.

How did you go?

Child watering the garden with a watering can

Gardens usually account for about 23% of household water use.

If you used the same or less than the numbers shown, your household has good water use practices. Thank you for using water wisely!

If not, find out how you can be more water wise in your:

WaterFix® your home

Leaking taps, toilets or showerheads?

Our special offer could help you save thousands of litres of water a year.

Learn more about WaterFix® Residential.

Where is water used in Sydney apartments?	How can you save water inside your apartment?
Showers - 45%	Take shorter showers. Install a water efficient showerhead. Find out more about saving water in your bathroom.
Minor leaks - 14% or more!	Act quickly as most leaks get worse over time. Maintenance and quick repairs are key to reducing the cost of leaks
Washing machines - 10%	Wait until you have a full load before using your washing machine. Look for a water efficient model when it's time to replace your current washing machine. Front loaders use less water and are gentler on your clothes. Find out more about saving water in your kitchen & laundry.
Toilets - 7%	Use the half flush on your toilet whenever possible. Check for leaks. Toilets are responsible for the most common, and the worst, leaks inside homes. A leaking toilet can waste over 16,000 litres of water a year! Install a new 4-star dual flush toilet if you don't already have one. Find out more about saving water in your bathroom.
Kitchen taps - 5%	Turn the tap off if you don't need to leave it running. Check for leaks or drips and replace washers as soon as taps begin to leak. Install water saving devices in your taps. Find out more about saving water in your kitchen & laundry.
Basins and baths - 5%	Don't overfill your bath or basin. Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth, cleaning dishes or preparing food. Check for leaks and repair or replace old taps.
Dishwashers - 1%	Wait until you have a full load before using your dishwasher. Look for a water efficient model when it's time to replace your current machine.

Individual apartments

Need some help? If you own an apartment, check out our special offers to help you save thousands of litres of water each year by fixing leaks and installing water efficient devices. Our WaterFix® Residential plumbing service has helped customers save over 300 million litres of water.

Large strata managed buildings

If you're a strata manager or you live in a residential strata managed building and are concerned about wasting water throughout all apartments in the building, WaterFix® Strata may be able to help.

What can you do if you don't think you've used as much water as shown on your bill?
If you've just received your bill and feel the water usage charge is too high, there are a few things you can do.

Check your meter reading is accurate

Firstly, check the meter reading on your bill is correct. To do this, read the black numbers on your meter, then check the second page of your bill. If the numbers on the meter are a little higher than 'This Reading' (to allow for the difference between when we read the meter and when you received your bill), the reading is correct.

If the number on your meter is lower than 'This Reading' on your bill, please call us on 13 20 92 with the correct reading. We'll update your bill with the correct details.

Check for leaks

If the meter reading is correct, you may wish to do a simple test to check your home for leaks. Find out more about leak detection.

It's also a good idea to consider any possible reasons for an increase in water use. For example, you may have:
- changed your outdoor watering because of new turf and gardens, or hotter weather
- had extra people staying at your property
- filled a swimming pool
- changed a hot water system or other plumbing appliances.
Request a WaterFix® Concealed Leaks appointment

If the water usage on your water bill has increased, but you can't see a leak, you might need our WaterFix® Concealed Leaks service.

Our specialist team will be able to help identify leaks that are hard to find. WaterFix® Concealed Leaks comes with a market leading guarantee – if we don’t find a leak, the service is free.

Find out more about WaterFix® Concealed Leaks.

Request a water meter test

If you still think your water use is unreasonably high, you can pay to request a water meter test. We suggest this as a last resort, as meters are found to be accurate 80-90% of the time.

If the meter is found to be faulty, we'll adjust your water use charge and refund the meter test fee. If the meter is recording accurately, we won't refund the test fee.
What are the water restrictions?

Level 1 water restrictions are now in place

More than 85% of Greater Sydney’s water supply relies on rain. This means that our water is in short supply during prolonged droughts.

Water restrictions limit how and when we use drinking water outdoors and help reduce demand when we’re not getting enough rain. It's too soon to tell whether the rain in early 2020 is just a temporary relief from drought or a sign that conditions are improving for the long-term. It's important we all continue to save water.

Water restrictions apply to everyone in Sydney, the Blue Mountains and the Illawarra. This includes both residents and businesses.

If we all do our bit and save a little, it will make a big difference across Greater Sydney.

Find out more about water restrictions.
Who will fix the tap at your water meter?

Meter taps

You'll find your meter tap next to your water meter. The meter tap controls the water supply to your property although it's not a regular tap. You can turn it on and off, but you can't connect a hose to the meter tap and you can't use it to fill a bucket.

If you also have a regular tap near your meter, you can use it to access water.

The meter tap controls the water supply to your property. It's not a standard garden tap.

Who's responsible for what?

We own and maintain the large pipes (mains) in the street and the water meter at your property.

The property owner is responsible for all the pipes and fittings that connect to the main. This includes the meter tap.

Who can fix the meter tap?

Licensed plumbers can repair the meter tap at your cost. However, we'll fix the tap within 10 working days for free as a courtesy to you. Usually we'll fix it within five days.

Call 13 20 90 to request this service.

How can you get your meter fixed more quickly?

Call 13 20 90 to report the fault and ask for our WaterFix® Express Meter Taps service.

For just $99 (including GST) we'll call at your property within three hours to start fixing your tap.

If you call after 5 pm, we’ll do the repair between 7 and 10 am the next day.

We'll add the $99 fee to your next water bill.

If the meter tap and pipe near it has been damaged, eg run over, hit by a lawn mower or vandalised, we may charge you extra to fix it.

Please read our Responsibilities of connected customers policy to find out more.
Who can supply your rainwater tank?

Rainwater tanks are available in many shapes and sizes.

Unfortunately, we can't recommend a particular rainwater tank supplier.

There are many different options, so it's best to do your research online and speak to a few suppliers.

Read more about what you should consider when buying and installing a rainwater tank.

Water efficiency targets

How do you work out your 'target'?

When did you use the water?

August to October

People

Small property

Medium property

Large property

What are these numbers based on?

November to January

People

Small property

Medium property

Large property

What are these numbers based on?

February to April

People

Small property

Medium property

Large property

What are these numbers based on?

May to July

People

Small property

Medium property

Large property

What are these numbers based on?

How did you go?

WaterFix® your home

Individual apartments

Large strata managed buildings

Check your meter reading is accurate

Check for leaks

Request a WaterFix® Concealed Leaks appointment

Request a water meter test

Level 1 water restrictions are now in place

Meter taps

Who's responsible for what?

Who can fix the meter tap?

How can you get your meter fixed more quickly?