Why are the Redland Water Rates so high?

This question was recently asked:

Why are the Redland Water Rates so high?

How do local water rates compare to everywhere else ?

The Redland residential water charges are currently (April 2013) shown as:

Fixed Water access (domestic) per meter/lot

$63.06 per quarter ($252.25 per year)

Consumption is charged at:

$2.16 per kilolitre for the first 400 litres per day
$2.59 per kilolitre between 401 litres and 800 litres per day
$3.02 per kilolitre for the remainder

The first $1.47 per kilolitre relates to the Bulk Water charge,which is charged by the Queensland Government for the cost of wholesale treated drinking water delivered to the Redlands.

So, the portion that the Redland Council charge is $2.16 less 1.47 = $0.69

Therfore

$0.69 per kilolitre for the first 400 litres per day
$1.12 per kilolitre between 401 litres and 800 litres per day
$1.55 per kilolitre for the remainder

We also pay a Fixed rate for the wastewater service of $182.60 per quarter.

How do our rates compare to other council areas?

Brisbane City: I checked the Brisbane water charges at http://www.urbanutilities.com.au/Your_account/Water_and_sewerage_charges/ and found:

Water Access Charge: Fixed charge $41.79 per quarter
Consumption Charge:

$0.666900 per kilolitre Tier 1 Consumption (up to 63kL per quarter*)
$0.707940 per kilolitre Tier 2 Consumption (64kL -76kL per quarter*)
$1.261980 per kilolitre Tier 3 Consumption (in excess of 76kL per quarter*)

This works out at:

$0.67 per kilolitre for the first 700 litres per day
$0.71 per kilolitre between 701 litres and 844 litres per day
$1.28 per kilolitre for the remainder

Sewerage Access Charge: Fixed charge $118.98 per quarter

Based on an average of 52,650 litres per 3 person household per 90 days, the charges for these two areas, Redland and Brisbane, would be:

Redland

52.65 kL is 585 litres per day, so the first 400 litres is at $0.69, with the next 185 at $1.12.
That works out at $43.48 for the consumption charge.

The Final Bill would therefore be:

$ 63.06 Fixed Water access
$ 43.48 Water Usage Charges
$182.60 Sewerage Charges
$289.14 TOTAL

Brisbane

52.65 kL is all in the Brisbane tier 1 charge of 0.6669 per kL
That works out at $35.11 for the consumption charge.

The Final Bill would therefore be:

$ 41.79 Fixed Water access
$ 35.11 Water Usage Charges
$118.98 Sewerage Charges
$195.88 TOTAL

Although the actual water charge itself is only $8 more, the other two sections add up to the major difference:

We pay $63 per quarter more in the Sewage charge, and $21 extra in the fixed Water access charge.
So, $84 per quarter extra on these two fixed charges, no matter how much water we use.

Average Water usage:

How has the average Redland Water bill changed from 2012 to 2013, based on OUR own consumption of water?

Residential Water Consumption for 14 days ended 27 January 2012 was 195 litres per person per day
Residential Water Consumption for 14 days ended 23 January 2013 was 262 litres per person per day

So we have contributed to an average increase of water use amounting to about 34%.
This means WE may be using, on average, 34% MORE this year then we did last year.
In the same period, the Gold Coast area only increased their USAGE by 19%, although SEQ as a whole did increase usage by 30%.

Sources:

Redland: www.redland.qld.gov.au/…./Water/…202012-2013.pdf
Brisbane www.urbanutilities.com.au
Average Water Usages: www.seqwater.com.au/news/256