Council and community welcome bill reduction on Ipswich water charges
06 May 2021
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding welcomed news today of a significant reduction for Ipswich residents’ water and sewerage bills.
Urban Utilities announced it will reduce its component of the average residential water and sewerage bill in Ipswich by 10.9 per cent or $29.27 per quarter from 1 October 2021.
“This is fantastic news for Ipswich,” Mayor Harding said.
“Covid hit our community hard in 2020-21 and the hip pockets of many people, families and businesses, took a major hit. So, any news of a reduction in household bills is most welcome.
“I am certain everyone will be pleased to see almost $30 a quarter coming off the average residential water and sewerage bill.
“Urban Utilities has done a great job in helping our community cope as many other bills and charges increase every day, week and month.”
Mayor Harding said that while attending Urban Utilities shareholder’s meetings in her first year in the role she had fought hard to bring about a better deal for the Ipswich community.
“We have always had to pay significantly more than Brisbane residents and this is something I have raised at every UU shareholders meeting. Councillors have been passionate about price parity for our community and fought hard for it,” she said.
Mayor Harding said council had done its bit to assist the community with significant waivers of fees and charges. We have provided more than $2 million in Covid relief support for local businesses and community organisations.
“We know people are doing it tough in these challenging times and any help that council and other local authorities can provide is great news.”
Mayor Harding acknowledged that Urban Utilities had frozen its component of the average residential bill in Ipswich for three years in a row.
Ipswich residents had been paying significantly more than Brisbane for water and sewerage over the past decade but Urban Utilities had worked hard at more consistent pricing across its service region.
“Urban Utilities has listened to council and the community. By limiting price increases in Ipswich to below inflation, they were able to reduce the bill difference by more than 40 per cent, and now residential water prices will be the same across all their service regions from 1 October,” she said.
“That is great news for every resident in Ipswich and I welcome the announcement today.”
This does not include the State Bulk Water Charge, which is set and controlled by the Queensland Government.