Why is my Brisbane water bill high?

How does Brisbane water billing work?

The City of Brisbane bills water and sewer itself, through its Utility Billing Department. The cycle runs every two months: meters are read about a week before bills go out; bills arrive in the first week of January, March, May, July, September and November; and bills are due upon receipt, with payment due by the 5th of the following even-numbered month to avoid a penalty (the City adjusts the date for weekends and holidays).

A leak that starts late in a billing period may only partly show on the next bill and fully on the one after. Billing questions go to Utility Billing at 415-508-2154 during City Hall business hours.

More water use, or higher charges?

A bigger total doesn’t always mean you used more water. Separate the two questions before you worry.

How much water did I use? Brisbane bills water in units. One unit is 100 cubic feet, about 748 gallons. Look for the units consumed in the current period on your bill.

What was I charged for it?

Brisbane’s published residential rate table charges a higher per-unit amount for usage over 20 units per billing period. Rates have scheduled effective dates, including June 15, so the total can change even with similar consumption. Check the rate table for the year shown on your bill.

How to compare bills across months

Comparing July’s bill with March’s tells you little. Garden watering, weather and household size all shift with the seasons. Compare the same period from last year, and look at units, not dollars.

Illustration only — these numbers are hypothetical, not real Brisbane data.

An unexplained jump like this, roughly 100 extra gallons a day, is worth investigating. A jump that matches a known change usually isn’t.

Can irrigation or guests explain extra use?

• Irrigation running longer in dry, warm months, or a controller reset after a power cut
• Houseguests, a new baby, or someone now working from home
• A pool or spa being filled or topped up
• Washing cars, pressure-washing patios or filling garden ponds
• A new appliance, or a water softener cycling more often

Irrigation counts toward your bill like any other water use. A single controller left on a summer schedule can account for a large share of a jump.

Silent toilet leaks: an easy thing to rule out

Water can trickle from the tank into the bowl around the clock without a sound or a puddle. Clues include a toilet that refills on its own between flushes, or a faint ripple in the bowl. A dye test takes about 10 minutes — see our fixture leak detection page.

Hidden supply leaks as a possible cause

If fixtures, toilets and irrigation all check out, the water may be escaping from a pipe you can’t see. Warning signs that point beyond the bill:

• A damp patch, stain or warped floor with no obvious source
• Soil that stays wet when it hasn’t rained
• The sound of water moving when everything is off

These cases need a proper investigation. See hidden water leak detection.

Fixture and appliance checklist

• Every toilet (dye test)
• Faucets, including outdoor hose bibs, for drips
• Shower heads and tub spouts that keep dripping after shutoff
• Washing machine and dishwasher supply hoses for wet spots
• Refrigerator ice maker line
• Water heater relief valve discharge pipe for a steady trickle
• Irrigation controller schedule and any valve boxes

Check your meter at a quiet time

Your meter is the best way to tell whether water is leaving when nothing should be running. Pick a time when nobody needs water, shut everything off and watch the leak indicator. Our step-by-step guide on how to check a water meter for leaks covers the full routine, including what not to touch.

Verify unexpected usage with the City

If the usage doesn’t match anything you can explain, call City of Brisbane Utility Billing at 415-508-2154. Ask them to:

• Confirm the meter reading and the dates it covers
• Check whether the reading was actual or estimated
• Explain any charge you don’t recognize
• Tell you whether any adjustment process exists for leaks

Do not assume a leak adjustment is available. Ask Utility Billing whether any current adjustment, review or appeal process applies to your account. If the meter or nearby City water infrastructure looks damaged or wet, report it to Public Works (415-508-2130).

How to document a consumption concern

A simple log makes conversations with the City, or a leak investigator, far more useful. Record the meter reading at the same time each day for a week, and add an overnight pair if you can — one reading at bedtime, one on waking, with no water used between. Keep copies of your last few bills too.

When a leak investigation may help

1. The meter moves with all water off and every fixture checks out
2. The bill shows one unexplained spike in metered usage, especially if the meter also moves during a no-use test
3. Your daily log shows steady use overnight
4. You see damp walls, floors or ground alongside the high bill
5. The City has confirmed the reading is accurate

A professional water meter and pressure-loss investigation can confirm whether the system is losing water and narrow down which section.

When water is appearing visibly

A visible leak is no longer a billing question. If water is spraying, pooling or dripping through a ceiling:

1. Turn off water at the building’s main shutoff, as long as getting to it doesn’t put you near live electrics.
2. Treat any wet outlet, cord or appliance as live and stay clear of it.
3. Photograph the damage and the meter before cleanup.
4. Water surfacing in the street or sidewalk goes to Brisbane Public Works. See city water main vs private property leak.

High-bill FAQ