More time to pay

More time to pay your bill  

We’re extending the time you have to pay your bill due to delays in printing and mailing your bills and some people receiving an incorrect electronic bill. We want to make sure you have a fair and reasonable time to pay. 

Which bills are affected: All bills issued on 5 September 2025 with an original due date of 10 October 2025. What’s changed: The new due date for these bills is 20 October 2025.   

About your bill

Why does my bill look different?

We redesigned bills to be clearer and easier to read:

  • Bigger text and better colours for accessibility
  • Simpler descriptions of charges
  • A new section explaining fees and tariffs on the back of your bill
See our Bill Explainer page for more information.

Why doesn’t my bill show usage graphs or comparisons?

For around 2,000 accounts, we couldn’t display historic meter data in this first billing run. Those graphs and comparisons will return on future bills.

Why are there unusual transactions on my account?

When we moved balances into the new system, some customers may notice transactions such as Migrate Balance, Opening Adjustment, or Balance Transfer. These were added to make sure your opening balance is correct.
Accounts with concessions, non-profit rebates and credit balances have often been the accounts where we needed to manually check and fix through adjustments added to accounts.
For credit adjustments, these have been added as ‘payments’ to accounts and will appear under the total payments received on the front page of the bill.

My bill shows lots of past meter readings. Have I been charged for these?

No. Your charges are based only on the most recent meter reading. Past readings may appear this time, but they won’t in future bills.

What if I think my bill is wrong?

Please contact us with your account details and why you think it may be incorrect.
📞 Call 1300 851 636
📧 Email billing@sgwater.com.au
We have extra phone lines set up to help with billing issues.

What if my usage looks high?

Before calling us, you can:

  • Check if there’s an explanation (guests, garden watering, etc.)
  • Read your meter to confirm it matches your bill
  • Test for leaks by checking your meter before and after a period when no water is used. If it moves, you may have a leak and need a plumber.

Why did I get an estimated bill?

If we couldn’t access your meter, your usage may have been estimated. You can give us an actual reading by calling or email a photo showing the dials and meter serial number to billing@sgwater.com.au.

What if my bill arrived late and I need more time to pay?

We’ve extended the due date for this first bill run to 10 October 2025. We won’t charge penalty interest or send overdue accounts to debt collection. If you need more time or support, please call us — we can help.

Why is my concession amount smaller?

Because billing is now quarterly, your concession is split across four bills instead of three. For this bill, it covers 92 days and is capped at $93.79 for 2 services (i.e. water and sewerage) or $46.89 for one service (i.e. water usage only). It appears as an adjustment on page 1 and in detail on page 2 of your bill.

About your account number

Do I have a new account number?

Yes — most customers now have a new account number, shown at the top right of your bill. Please update your saved BPAY details. If you forget, we’ll still make sure your payment is applied correctly.

What about BPAY View?

BPAY View is no longer available. Once our new customer portal is live, you’ll be able to choose how you receive your bills. Until then, you’ll receive paper bills.

What’s the new billing cycle?

We’ve moved to quarterly billing. Bills are issued four times a year, usually in late August, November, February, and May, with payment due at least 28 days after issue. Charges are now calculated on a daily rate.

My concession is not shown on my account.

Please use our online form and electronically sign this using docusign to provide your concession details and consent.

Quarterly billing cycle

ActivityQuarter 1Quarter 2Quarter 3Quarter 4
1/7 to 30/91/10 to 31/121//1 to 31/31/4 to 30/6
Meter ReadingJulyOctoberJanuaryApril
Bills issued – TargetLate AugustLate NovemberLate FebruaryLate May

Bills due + 28 days from day of issue

Paying your bill

What about direct debits?

  • If you had a direct debit set to pay on the due date, it’s been transferred to the new system — no action needed.
  • Payments will be taken within two days of the due date.
  • Monthly direct debits have also been transferred.
  • Twice-monthly direct debits couldn’t be transferred — please complete a new form if you’d like to continue. This is an online web form and you can provide us with an electronic signature.
  • You can check if you have a direct debit set up by looking at the “How to pay” section on page 2 of your bill.

What if my direct debit fails?

If a direct debit fails and the amount is still owing after the due date, your account will be flagged and a reminder notice sent.

When will the new customer portal be ready?

We’re working hard to launch the portal, likely before the billing cycle in February 2026.

Why isn’t my recent payment showing?

Bills were generated on 5 September 2025, so any payments made after that date will not appear until your next bill.

Check the how to pay section of your bill

Billing delays

How many bills have been sent?

We calculated 24,931 bills in our first billing run. About 1,744 accounts did not receive a bill because we need to do extra checks first.

Which accounts haven’t been sent yet?

  • Customers who sold or moved house since 19 June 2025 have not yet received their final account.
  • 1,744 customers have not yet received their quarterly bill while we check and fix details to make sure their information and charges are correct.

Why are some accounts delayed?

We’ve moved three older systems into one modern, cloud-based system. Some accounts are more complex and need extra checks before we send a bill. Your account may take longer if you:

  • Are a tenant with all charges billed to you
  • Have multiple contacts or shared meters
  • Receive a concession or rebate
  • Had data issues or an opening balance that needed fixing.

Why are bills delayed overall?

It’s taken longer than expected to get our new billing system up and running. We’ve held back some bills so we can double-check details and make sure they’re right before sending.