Understanding Your Bill

Billing & Payments

How we work out what you owe, and how to check it yourself.

WHEN YOU ARE BILLED

When you are billed

Bills are issued monthly. Payment is due within thirty days of the bill date. After that the service becomes liable for disconnection.

Anything still outstanding after thirty days accrues interest at one percent per month.

If a bill does not reach you, you still owe it. A missing bill is not a missed month. Call or visit any of our offices and we will give you the balance – have your account number or the name on the account ready.

READING YOUR METER

Reading your meter

We use two kinds of meter, and which one you have decides the unit you are reading.

Imperial gallons meter

Measures in gallons. It says imp. gallons on the face.

Cubic metre meter

Measures in cubic metres. It says m3 on the face.

Two-up meter-face diagram

Labelled diagrams of both meter faces to be drawn once NAWASA
supplies photographs of each type.

How to take the reading

Read the digits to the left of the dial - usually white on black, or black on white. The red digits are fractions and you can ignore them. Subtract last month's reading from this month's and you have your consumption.

ESTIMATED READINGS

Estimated readings

Sometimes we cannot take an actual reading – the meter is buried, blocked, faulty, or a dog is standing on it. In that case the bill is estimated. An estimate is based on one of four things: the reading from a replacement meter, your average over the last three months, your use over the same three months last year, or another fair basis where none of those fit. When the meter is read properly again, the account is corrected.

METER ACCURACY

If you think your meter is wrong

A meter counts as accurate if it reads within five percent either way of the water actually passing through it. If you want it tested, you pay the cost of removing, carting and testing the meter up front. If it turns out to be off by more than five percent, we refund that cost and adjust your account by the amount it was out by.

Where our responsibility ends

We maintain the pipes and fittings up to the meter. Everything from the meter to your property is yours. The meter records everything that passes it, including water lost to a leak on your side, and that is what you are billed for.

IF YOUR BILL LOOKS TOO HIGH

If your bill looks too high

Three things are worth checking before you call.

Turn off every tap and appliance in the house, then look at the meter. If it is still turning, you have a leak on your side.

Check whether the reading was estimated. An estimate followed by a real reading can land as one large bill.

Compare it with the same month last year rather than with last month. Dry season use is not wet season use.

If none of that explains it, get in touch and we will look at the account with you.