Submetering of multi-unit and non-residential properties

Changes as of 1 January 2008

The provision of submeters in new buildings from 1 January 2008 allows for the delivery of personalised information on water use to households and businesses in new multi-unit developments.

Premises drawing a water supply from the water service provider are required to install submeters for separate lots in any type of building under a community title scheme, including common property, and all rented or leased sole occupancy units in class 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 new buildings. In a multistorey office building (e.g. a class 5 building) that is not under community title where the sole occupancy units cannot be identified, as a minimum, one submeter per floor is required.

The Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code is the primary tool for the introduction of submeters. Part 4 of the Queensland Plumbing and Wastewater Code specifically deals with ‘Water meters for new premises’. It is divided into four performance criteria and four acceptable solutions. These have been designed to be simple and easy to read. An important part of the introduction of meters is the premises upon which the meters must be installed. The code specifically defines the 'meterable premises' that are required to be supplied with water meters.

This measure ensures that water service providers are able to directly charge the owners of separate lots in new buildings for water consumption. It also enables the provision of an itemised bill based on submeter readings to the owners of new buildings under single title with multiple tenancies. The owner can then opt to pass the cost of water onto the individual user.
Amendments have also been made to the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 to prohibit body corporates from making their own charging arrangements for water use.

Water service providers will own and maintain the submeters under the Water Act 2000, with the service provider either installing or contracting a plumber to install submeters. Section 383 of the Water Act 2000 provides that a meter is the property of the water service provider. To provide consistency with the Water Act 2000, amendments to the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 will clarify that a device installed for measuring the reticulation or supply of water for a community titles scheme is the property of the service provider and not the body corporate.
  

Prior to 1 January 2008

Prior to 1 January 2008 it was not mandatory to install water meters within multi-unit residential premises and commercial premises.

For community title schemes water meters were usually installed outside the property boundary by the water service provider (mostly local government). Charges for water supplied to the lots within the scheme are often levied on the body corporate.

Under the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 these charges were often distributed amongst lot owners on the basis of lot entitlements. This meant that individual lot owners had no knowledge of their individual water use and may be discouraged in their attempts to reduce their individual consumption.

Some local governments chose to mandate the supply of water meters within community title schemes by conditioning development approvals. However, issues relating to ownership of water meters have remained unresolved.

In addition, like community title schemes, many commercial and industrial premises had no means of measuring water use to some buildings.