To help with the cost of water and sewerage rates a state government concession is available to eligible South Australians on low or fixed incomes.
Eligibility
You may be eligible for a water rates remission on your principal place of residence if you are responsible for paying for all of your water use and:
- have a Pensioner Concession Card or a Gold Card from the Department of Veterans Affairs (marked TPI, EDA or War Widow), OR
- hold a Centrelink Health Care Card (includes the Low Income Health Care Card); OR
- can demonstrate that you (and your spouse or domestic partner) meet low income provisions.**
*Eligible Centrelink payments are: Newstart allowance, Sickness allowance, Widow allowance, Youth allowance, Partner allowance, Parenting Payment Partnered, Bereavement allowance, Special benefit, Exceptional Circumstances payments, Community Development Employment Project (CDEP), New Enterprise Incentive Scheme, ABSTUDY, Austudy.
** ** 
Income limits for concessions applications in the low income category [alternative]
WATER CONCESSION
From 1 July 2010 to 1 July 2011 the water concession is calculated as 20% of the total annual water bill, subject to the following minimum and maximum amounts:
Financial Year 2010-2011
|
Minimum for owner occupier
|
$100
|
|
Maximum for owner occupier
|
$210
|
|
Minimum for tenants
|
$ 58
|
|
Maximum for tenants
|
$168
|
From 1 July 2011 the water concession will be calculated as 25% of the total annual bil, subject to the following minimum and maximum amounts:
Financial year
|
2011- 12
|
2012-13
|
| Minimum for owner occupier |
$125
|
$155
|
|
Maximum for owner occupier
|
$235
|
$265
|
| Minimum for tenants |
$ 72
|
$ 90
|
|
Maximum for tenants
|
$182
|
$200
|
If your application is approved, your water and sewerage rate account will be automatically credited with the amount of the concession. If your total annual water bill is less than $58, the remission will cover the amount of the total water rates bill for the year.
SEWERAGE CONCESSION
The sewerage rate concession increased by 5% from $95 to $100 on 1 July 2010, with further increases on 1 July 2011 to $105, and on 1 July 2012 to $110 per annum
How to apply
Click here to apply online or print an application form concessions application form [alternative] complete and sign it and post it to Concessions, Reply Paid 292, ADELAIDE SA 5001 (no postage stamp required).
If you are a home owner-occupier, you can use the same form to apply for a concession on your council rates and energy bills.
Important: If you are a private tenant or live in a residential facility (such as a retirement village) you will need to provide the following information to support your application, by email or post, with your application form:
- Private tenant: a copy of your rental agreement and your most recent water bill (for water use from 1 July 2008 onwards only) provided by your landlord.
- Residential facility: a copy of your most recent water bill from your residential facility.
Resources
Use our Concessions Finder tool to find out which concessions you may be eligible for and how to apply.