Moree Plains Shire Council undertakes annual water audits of their supply operations, and by implementing programs to identify and contain inefficiencies. Such programs include leakage management, meter accuracy testing and enforcement against unauthorised consumption of water.
Losses in water operations occur in two distinctly different manners. Apparent losses occur due to customer meter inaccuracies, billing system data errors and unauthorised consumption. These losses cost utilities revenue and distort data on customer consumption patterns. Losses also occur as real losses or water that escapes the water distribution system, including leakage and storage overflows. These losses inflate the water utility’s production costs and stress water resources since they represent water that is extracted and treated, yet never reaches beneficial use.
Your meter may be inaccessible to Council’s Meter Reader because of a locked meter, gate or utilities cupboard; dog/s, an overgrown garden or construction work.
If we cannot gain access to your water meter, Council will leave a note to arrange access to obtain a water reading. If access to the meter cannot be gained on an ongoing basis, additional fees and charges may be applied to your account.
Accuracy or Not Working
Moree Plains Shire Council is responsible for the water meter infrastructure up to and including the water meter. Water meters record the water used by a property. If you are connected to Council's water supply system you will have a water meter on your property, usually just inside the front boundary of your property. You’ll recognise it as a low metal pipe structure with a tap handle or lever at one end and a meter dial in the middle.
The property owner is responsible for the maintenance of pipes and other water infrastructure on the 'house' side of the meter so remember to keep your meter clear of garden debris and do not bury it as we need to have easy access to it. Each quarter, we bill you for water usage.
Inaccurate Meter or Not Working
Council will replace inaccurate or faulty meters, at no cost to the owner if the meter is found to be defective, can no longer be reasonably maintained or is replaced as part of a meter replacement program. Council will attempt to notify the property owner at the time of replacement and advise that a new meter has been installed. If you believe your water meter is not accurately recording water use, a Council Officer can test this, however, if no issue is found you may be charged.
How To Read Water Meter
The black numbers represent kilolitres
Red numbers represent litres on the meter.
When We Read The Water Meter and Water Bills
Water meters are read every quarter - March, June, September and December.
To ensure we bill you correctly, we need to have access to the meter to get an accurate and timely meter reading. As a customer of Council’s water supply, it is your responsibility to allow access to your water meter so we can record your water use.
Alleged or Suspected Water Stealing
Theft of water and interference with Moree Plains Shire Council’s water infrastructure are serious offences which may attract substantial penalties, in accordance with the Local Government Act, 1993.
If you know of or think you know of anyone stealing water, either through water meter bypass or use of an unmetered standpipe, contact the Council’s General Manager with your suspicions – as stealing water costs all ratepayers.
An upgrade or replacement of a meter, which falls outside of Moree Plains Shire Council’s standard meter replacement program, can be arranged at the applicant's cost - Fees and Charges
You can also contact Council for a special water meter reading for conveyancing purposes.
Security
Although most property owners don’t usually secure their water meters, you can have the meter fitted with a lockable meter which is installed and approved by Council.
Understanding why bills are higher than expected is a process of elimination for the ratepayer.
Summer water bills are the highest of the year as householders are watering more to combat the heat and keep their lawns and gardens alive. In Moree Plains Shire we can experience low rainfall, high evaporation, and consecutive days of extremely warm weather, so people tend to turn their hoses on more frequently. Many households tend to have guests come and stay, and children are home during the holidays so water usage increases with additional showers and heavier use of washing machines, dishwashers, air conditioning, and pools.
Take the time to read your bill and look at your meter readings, billing days, and your usage (not how much the bill was) and compare it to last year's bill for the same period. Is it the same or did you use more water?
Did you know, each financial year the water pricing rate increases to cover maintenance costs and the replacement of the community's assets? Council also has a two-tiered water pricing system – one price for the first 750 kilolitres; then once you exceed this consumption (per financial year), water is billed at a higher rate per kilolitre – so this can make a difference to the amount you pay.
You will need to investigate the issue further with a licensed plumber as any leak past the water meter is the homeowner's responsibility.
Did you know that while the cost of some water supply charges increases each financial year to cover maintenance and replacement of the community’s asset, Council has reduced the per kilolitre water pricing rate each financial year since FY2019/2020? Council also has a two-tiered water pricing system – one price for the first 750 kilolitres used; then once you exceed this consumption (per financial year), water is billed at a higher rate per kilolitre – so this can make a difference to the amount you pay.
Multiple Meters
All new strata units and multiple occupancy properties on single lots must have individual water meters. Council will assist owners whose water service connection does not comply with this requirement, by installing a complying connection at the property owner’s cost.
Meter Connection or Disconnection
You need to plan your connection to or disconnection from Council’s water services. There are fees involved and we need at least 14 day's notice.
If you want to connect a commercial development, it's a good idea to engage a hydraulic consultant. They can work out the best sized water connection and meter for your needs and design any pumps, tanks or wastewater equipment you need. You'll also need to assess the site to determine the backflow requirements.
Meter Relocation
Moree Plains Shire Council is responsible for the water meter infrastructure up to, and including, the water meter. Water meters record the water used by a property. If you are connected to Council's water supply system you will have a water meter on your property, usually just inside the front boundary of your property. If you live in a unit of large buildings the water meter may be found in the utilities cupboard on each floor, or at the front of the property in smaller buildings.
If requested, Council will relocate your water meter at your expense.
Emergency and Faults
One of the biggest assets for Moree Plains Shire Council lays underground – infrastructure that carries your water supply to your property and the sewerage systems that remove waste water.
We are responsible for everything up to your water meter, so if you find damaged water or sewer infrastructure including broken pipes or damage to manholes, leaks or a burst water main please contact us
An infrastructure or utility emergency is where there is serious damage to pipes, water and fire hydrants, or any other community infrastructure that is (or could be) a health and safety hazard; presents serious concern or danger to members of the public.
If there is a life-threatening situation, you should call Triple Zero (or 112 on most mobiles) for immediate assistance from the police, fire brigade or ambulance service.
For water and sewer faults or damage to infrastructure contact Moree Plains Shire Council’s 24 hour service on (02) 6757 3222.
Burst Water Main and Leaks
Water mains are the major pipes that transport water to various neighbourhoods in Moree and within the villages.
They are generally located under nature strips, footpaths and roads. If you see water running from public land, nature strip or a roadway, it could be a burst water main and you should report it immediately by calling Council’s after-hours number
No water?
If there appears to be no water supply at your property, you should first check whether the problem is related only to you. Make sure the isolation tap (part of the framework of your meter) is turned on. You could talk to your neighbours to see if they have water.
Sometimes Moree Plains Shire Council must cut the water supply without notice because the water network infrastructure has sustained damage and we need to repair it. In these instances, contact us to find out what is happening.
For scheduled maintenance, we endeavour to make direct contact via letter box drop and notifications via local media such as newspapers, radio (98.3fm, 107.1fm or 1530am) and social media.
Water Meter Faults and Leaks
If you have a damaged water meter or there is a leak at the meter, please contact Council.
Only Moree Plains Shire Council employees are authorised to work on Moree Plains’ water and sewer networks. Our maintenance staff will visit the site, investigate the damage or fault, and make any necessary repairs or replacements.
If the damage or fault is not part of Council's infrastructure, our staff will discuss the issue with you and you will need to contact a licensed plumber.
Testing for Leaks on your Property by Reading the Meter
Do a leak self-test by turning off all the water-using appliances and taps on your property, this includes all internal and external taps including appliances, such as dishwashers, washing machines and any irrigation systems.
Go to the water meter - note the time and the black numbers (kilolitres) and the red numbers (litres) on the meter. Take another reading after 15 minutes and if the red numbers have changed, the test confirms there is a leak somewhere on your property.
However, you could have a slow leak and you may need to repeat the water meter reading test over a longer period, say over a few hours or overnight.
If the meter reading has increased, it is likely that you have leak on your side of the water meter, and you will need to investigate the issue further with a licensed plumber. If your plumber discovers a problem on Council’s side of the water network, contact Council.
Dripping taps in bathrooms, laundry, kitchens and outdoors in the garden as well as leaking toilets, showers, hot water systems, air conditioning units and irrigation systems may not be obvious, however the consumption will add up over time and may show when a reading is taken over a longer period of time.
Moree Plains is renowned for the movement in black soil so check for damp concrete, paving and garden areas that may be moist and greener than expected, as there may be an underground leak that you can't see.
Tips and Tricks
Taps - A dripping tap can waste 24,000 litres of water a year, and usually, all that is wrong is a washer that needs replacing.
Toilets - Put food colouring in your toilet cistern. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 3,785 litres a month. A toilet cistern leaking at a rate of one litre per minute will add approximately $1,340 to your annual water charge, based on last year’s water charges. If the water usage threshold has already been met, this figure will increase.
Water Mains Cleaning
Moree Plains Shire Council undertakes regular water mains cleaning program to improve the reliability of supply and remove built up grit and natural films in the lines. Mains cleaning programs are common practice in the water industry to improve or maintain drinking water quality, guideline requirements and customer expectations; it also helps Council collect important system asset information.
To clean the mains, compressed air is introduced through the water mains via the fire hydrant, which it mixes with a small amount of water creating a turbulent flow. This flushes the which grit and the natural films out through hydrants and scour valves.
Mains, Hydrants, Valves
The total length of the water mains in Moree Shire is approximately 335km.
Trunk Mains
These are normally large diameter mains that transfer water from the water treatment plant to the reservoir; or reservoir to reservoir. They do not normally have water connections on these mains.
Reticulation Mains
These mains supply water to the consumer. These are typically installed in road reserve and have service lines off them to each property. Residents need to be aware that these mains are fairly shallow (can be only 400mm cover) and any digging near the main should not be attempted without full investigation on the location. See Dial Before You Dig
Fire Hydrants
You will see hydrants anywhere there are water mains. They are under lids that are painted yellow, marked with a ‘H’, and normally there is a yellow triangle marked somewhere nearby pointing to the hydrant as well as a blue delineator (cats eye) in the road or a post to mark the location. All of these markings are important to assist fire fighters to quickly find the nearest hydrant when required. Council routinely maintains the hydrants but residents can assist by ensuring hydrant lids are not covered and grass is removed from around them.
Stop Valves
Stop valves are also at frequent intervals on water mains. They look similar to hydrants with their lids painted white but have the marking SV on top of them. These valves are important for Council to be able to quickly isolate relatively small areas of water supply if a water leak or problem occurs. They too should be kept clear and visible.
Easements
Many property owners in Moree Plains have easements, utility pipes or pipe protection envelopes running through their properties. A pipe protection envelope is the area of unhindered space required to ensure safe access to a Moree Plains Shire Council water asset. Easements, utility pipes and pipe protection envelopes are protected by Government legislation (law) in recognition of the essential function water and sewerage services play in urban communities and the environment. Moree Plains Shire Council has a legislative obligation to protect these assets and to establish rules of how, when and where protection is required. The rules are intended to ensure that:
Underground pipes are not damaged by the weight of buildings or landscape features (such as earth fill or retaining walls)
Emergency and planned maintenance access are always available to buried pipes and related structures (such as tanks, manholes, pits, valves, meters and pumps). As a general rule, 1 metre clearance is required around all water and sewerage assets
Homes, buildings and landscape structures are not undermined or damaged by burst water mains, sewer main collapse, or by Moree Plains Shire Council maintenance and construction activities
Network Supply
Moree Plains Shire Council operates a number of water treatment plants to ensure levels of service are met for the Moree Plains community.
Getting the water from the water treatment plants to your taps requires extensive infrastructure, including reservoirs, pump stations and water mains and to ensure this system continues to meet the needs of the Moree Plains now and into the future, Council conducts regular maintenance and repairs, planned upgrades and capital works.
Collectively, the treatment plants deliver approximately 3178 mega litres of drinking water each year for the Shire. In addition, another 34mega litres (approximately) is supplied to residents as untreated water.
Moree Treated
Bore supply
Boggabilla
Treated River supply
Mungindi
Treated and untreated river supply
Pallamallawa
Treated bore supply
Gurley
Untreated bore supply
Garah
Untreated bore supply
Boomi
Untreated bore supply
All Council owned reservoirs and water pump stations are generally not open to the public.
Most reservoir sites are fenced with ladders and access hatches remaining locked to prevent contamination of the water supply.
No members of the public are permitted to in any way climb or traverse to the top of reservoirs without Council’s knowledge or approval. Council has taken all precautions to prevent unauthorised access to reservoir rooves and any person(s) attempting to gain access are trespassing. Any warning signs should also be noted and obeyed on any of these sites for the public’s safety. Any vandalising including graffiti of reservoirs or pump station buildings will be a matter for the police and Council will pursue offenders.
Water Conservation Measures and Water Saving Tips
Tap vs Bottled Water
Moree Plains Shire Council is helping customers to enjoy a healthy, environmentally friendly and low-cost community lifestyle through promoting the benefits of drinking tap water compared to bottled water and other beverages.
Did you know?
Tap water is about 1,500 times cheaper per litre than bottled water
Australians spend over $500 million per year on bottled water
A litre of bottled water could typically cost you $3-$4. For that price, you can refill a one-litre bottle from the tap every day for about 2.5 years!
Water is essential for healthy living
Our bodies are 70% water. Staying hydrated is essential for good health
Staying hydrated is crucial for sporting, mental and academic performances
Reusable bottles are the best. Over 50% of bottles sold in the bottled water market end up in landfill or as litter
Over 90% of the cost of a bottle of water can be traced back to the bottle, lid or label
It can take up to 3 litres of water to produce 1 litre of bottled water
Tap water is the best choice for your health, the environment and your hip pocket. Refill a water bottle today!
It doesn't make sense to buy bottled water.
Did you know you can get 6,000 glasses of tap water for the same cost as a bottle of water? It's kinda like buying Bottled Fresh Air.
Water Reuse
Rainwater Tanks
Rainwater tanks are a very effective way of saving water around the home but they need to be installed correctly and comply with development regulations. Tanks that can store a maximum of 10,000 litres of water don't normally need council approval but rainwater tanks are large, very heavy when full and can cause harm if they aren’t installed or maintained correctly.
Greywater
If you want to use the water from your rainwater tank in your toilet or washing machine, you must: apply to connect assess the site check your backflow requirements. You may need to install a property specific backflow device.
Greywater
Greywater is the wastewater generated from your washing machine, shower, bath and basins. If used safely, it can be used for watering lawns and gardens. There are three ways that you can use greywater in your own home: Manual bucketing - collecting water from either the washing machine or the shower in a bucket for reuse outside on gardens or lawns. Exercise caution though as untreated water from a bath shower and washing machine may contain bacteria, detergents, cleaning agents and waste material which may not be suitable for garden use.
Greywater diversion devices (GDDs) - involve the installation of a device to redirect greywater to the garden or lawn via a sub-surface irrigation system. GDDs require thorough and constant monitoring by the owner/operator. Failure to do so, may result in the device failing, pollution and /or health risks.
Greywater treatment systems - enable you to use treated greywater for toilets, washing machines and on gardens and lawns. Council approval is required and you will need a plumber to install the system.
For unsewered premises (or where there is an on site sewage management facility), greywater must be treated prior to use and Council needs to approve the system, as outlined in the On-Site Sewage Management Policy.
Recycled Water
Recycled water is wastewater that's been used in homes and businesses and put it through a multi-step treatment process at the sewage treatment plant to remove impurities. It is deemed to be non-potable water and can be used without undue risk to the community.
Water recycling is becoming a critical element for managing our water resources. Moree Plains Shire Council uses recycled water at the golf course, sports ovals and at the cemetery. Maximising the use of recycled water (treated effluent) is a key action in Council's Integrated Water Cycle Management and Demand Management strategies.
Treated recycled water is able to be used for a number of purposes including:
Irrigating agricultural crops
parks, gardens
golf courses - by safely irrigating recycled water
sustainable development can be achieved while conserving our high quality water supplies.
Being able to access alternative safe water sources is particularly critical in times of drought. Furthermore, substances that can be pollutants when discharged to waterways (ie nitrogen and phosphorus) can be beneficially reused on:
Irrigation
industrial sites for dust control
industrial cooling purposes
Domestic non-potable use such as toilet flushing, laundries and gardens
Fluoridation
Moree Plains Shire Council introduced fluoride into the water supplies of Moree, Mungindi, Boggabilla, and Pallamallawa in 2006.
The water already has a natural concentration of fluoride and Council adds fluorosilicic acid to meet the requirements of 1 milligram per litre (1 ppm). This is under the direction of the Department of Health (DoH) to protect against tooth decay.
Residents who do not wish to drink fluoridated water may consider drinking bottled water available through the supermarket. Our local plumbers can give advice on providing specialist filters or alternative water supplies.
Why is fluoridation used?
Water fluoridation has been found to be effective in preventing dental decay, even in the presence of other fluoride vehicles such as toothpaste with fluoride. The National Health and Medical Research Council has proven water fluoridation remains the most effective and socially equitable measure of achieving a community-wide reduction in dental decay.
Is water fluoridation safe?
The National Health and Medical Research Council Water established water fluoridation as a safe and effective public health procedure.
Potable (treated) and Non Potable Water (untreated)
Constant water quality testing and monitoring ensures the water supply network provides a high quality and reliable water source for households and businesses in Moree Plains. We do this by implementing the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG, 2011) framework and the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) risk based management system. These standards combined, assist in the prevention of biological, chemical, and physical hazards to our water supply. All water quality analytical work is performed by a NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities) registered laboratory. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines govern Moree Plains Shire Council’s water quality operations and monitoring.
Council supplies both treated potable (drinking water) and untreated non-potable (not for drinking) water to residents throughout the Shire via water treatment plants.
Across the Shire, the treatment plants deliver approximately 3178 mega litres of drinking water each year and 34mega litres (approximately) of untreated water and 655 mega litres of recycled water.
Potable water (treated)
Drinking water is water that has been treated (or is naturally pristine) and is safe to use as drinking water and for cooking.
The potable water supply in Moree, Mungindi, Boggabilla, Pallamallawa and Biniguy have water treatment plants that provide the community with potable (drinking quality) water which is required to meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) 2011.
Moree’s water is from a treated bore supply.
The Boggabilla and Mungindi water supplies are pumped from the Macintrye and Barwon Rivers respectively. The plants have filtration systems to produce the highest quality drinking water. At times when the river levels drops or after a rain event, the amount of sediment and turbidity in the rivers create ‘dirty‘ water, which deteriorates the water quality (taste and odour), so we occasionally impose water restrictions.
Occasionally incidents affect drinking water quality. These may include changing source water conditions such as flooding, detection of Escherichia coli (e.Coli) bacteria and/or blooms of cyanobacteria (blue green algae).
The NSW Health response protocols provide guidance on managing physical, chemical and microbiological quality of drinking water and/or treatment failure. Water suppliers in consultation with their local Public Health Unit may issue a boil water alert or other warnings to protect the health of consumers.
Non potable water (untreated)
Non-potable water is not fit for drinking, food preparation, cleaning teeth or activities such as bathing or showering but can be used in other areas of domestic life such as the laundry, flushing the toilet, gardens, stock and domestic animals. Non-drinking water has no protection against disease-causing organisms or heavy metals that may contaminate the water.
In the communities of Boomi, Garah, Weemelah and Gurley, the water supplied by Council is an untreated bore supply and should not be used for internal household and domestic use. There is also a non-potable supply in Boggabilla which runs off a separate meter to the potable supply. The non-potable supply is only for fire fighting and yard watering in these villages. Property owners are responsible for providing their own drinking water supplies and this can be sourced from private bores, rain water tanks filled by either rain water or licensed water carters.
Non-drinking water can be used for: •Laundry •Garden use (subject to permanent water saving measures) •Stock and domestic animals •Toilet flushing
Reducing the amount of water lost through the operation of the water supply system is a key component of Council's Demand Management Strategy
Moree Plains Shire Council undertakes annual water audits of their supply operations, and by implementing programs to identify and contain inefficiencies. Such programs include leakage management, meter accuracy testing and enforcement against unauthorised consumption of water.
Losses in water operations occur in two distinctly different manners. Apparent losses occur due to customer meter inaccuracies, billing system data errors and unauthorised consumption. These losses cost utilities revenue and distort data on customer consumption patterns. Losses also occur as real losses or water that escapes the water distribution system, including leakage and storage overflows. These losses inflate the water utility’s production costs and stress water resources since they represent water that is extracted and treated, yet never reaches beneficial use.
Water Efficiency to Reduce Overall Residential and Non-Residential Water Use
A long term, sustained focus on using less water is central to living with less rainfall and becoming climate resilient.
Benefits of using less water:
It’s better for the environment. Using less water minimises the amount of groundwater we have to extract and our energy use associated treating this water and pumping.
It defers the costs of investing in new water sources and infrastructure and the price increases which come with this.
How does Council promote water efficiency?
Promote water-efficient devices in existing residential properties
Mandate the installation of water-efficient fittings and fixtures in all new developments
Require the installation of rainwater tanks in most new residential developments
Assist Moree Plains’ highest commercial water users to use water more efficiently
Reducing the Amount of Unaccounted for Water
Water is a scarce resource, which makes water efficiency everyone's business.
Moree Plains Shire Council pursues a number of activities to improve water efficiency in Moree and villages. Such activities are guided by the Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) Strategy. The Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) Strategy is the strategic plan which guides and prioritises actions regarding Council’s management of the urban water supply, sewerage and stormwater systems.
In 2016, Council engaged consultants to conduct the eight-yearly review of the IWCM Strategy. This review includes a careful analysis of:
Current and future water catchment, water supply, sewerage and storm water issues;
Community and stakeholder priorities for water cycle management now and in the future;
Best-practice management guidelines relating to water cycle management;
Water related programs and studies already undertaken under the 2006 IWCM Strategy, and their success; and
Water cycle requirements for the next 30 years
Identify and address avoidable leakage in the water supply system.
Better management of contractors who extract water from Council's mains through the adoption of a new policy on the use of standpipes
Identify and address water theft
*Leak detection in the water supply network
How is the Water Treated so I can Drink It?
Clean, safe water is vital for everyday life. Water is essential for health, hygiene and the productivity of our community.
Depending on how your potable (treated) water has been sourced Potable (treated) and non potable water (untreated) the water treatment process varies.
Moree Plains Shire Council utilises a multiple barrier approach to ensure that drinking water is safe and aesthetically pleasing. The strength of this approach is that should there be a failure of one barrier, it may be compensated by effective operation of the remaining barriers. This minimises the likelihood of contaminants passing through the treatment system and subsequently causing harm to customers.
The water treatment process may vary depending on the technology of the plant and the water it needs to process, but the basic principles are largely the same. This section describes standard water treatment processes at Mungindi and Boggabilla.
Coagulation / Flocculation
During coagulation, liquid aluminium sulfate (alum), potassium permangante and/or polymer are added to untreated (raw) water. When mixed with the water, this causes the tiny particles of dirt in the water to stick together or coagulate. Next, groups of dirt particles stick together to form larger, heavier particles called flocs which are easier to remove by settling or filtration.
Sedimentation
As the water and the floc particles progress through the treatment process, they move into sedimentation basins where the water moves slowly, causing the heavy floc particles to settle to the bottom. Floc which collects on the bottom of the basin is called sludge, and is piped to drying lagoons. In Direct Filtration, the sedimentation step is not included, and the floc is removed by filtration only.
Filtration
Water flows through a filter designed to remove particles in the water. The filters are made of layers of sand and gravel, and in some cases, crushed anthracite. Filtration collects the suspended impurities in water and enhances the effectiveness of disinfection. The filters are routinely cleaned by backwashing.
Disinfection – Moree, Mungindi, Pallamallawa, Biniguy and Boggabilla
Water is disinfected before it enters the distribution system to ensure that any disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites are destroyed. Chlorine is used because it is a very effective disinfectant, and residual concentrations can be maintained to guard against possible biological contamination in the water distribution system..
Fluoridation
Water fluoridation is the treatment of community water supplies for the purpose of adjusting the concentration of the free fluoride ion to the optimum level sufficient to reduce dental cavities.
