The impact of our homesPrint

​​The average Auckland house spends $660 on water and wastewater each year​. ​​Water is essential for the operation of our homes, for cooking, drinking, showering, cleaning, washing and  keeping our plants alive.

The average Auckland house spends $660 on water and wastewater each year, of which $200 is for water consumed1​  (metered by Watercare), $260 is for water disposed2​  of (calculated by Watercare as 78.5% of water consumed), and $200 is a fixed annual charge. This means that every measure taken to reduce the amount of water supplied to you by Watercare will lower your water bill. ​

We use water when we have a shower every morning and when we drink our coffee. We need it to keep our clothes and house clean, and our plants alive.

The average Auckland house spends $660 on water and wastewater each year, of which $200 is for water consumed1​  (metered by Watercare), $260 is for water disposed2​  of (calculated by Watercare as 78.5% of water consumed), and $200 is a fixed annual charge. This means that every measure taken to reduce the amount of water supplied to you by Watercare will lower your water bill. 

Applying such measures will also mean you are taking less water from the environment and generating less wastewater to treat. 

The rate Aucklanders pay for each litre of water they use is partly driven by the cost of the infrastructure required to supply it. The construction of new dams and infrastructure to divert water from rivers not only has huge cost implications, but also heavy environmental impacts on land and the ecosystems that live in it.

Auckland’s water supply is sourced and brought to the city from dams, rivers such as the Waikato, and underground aquifers. Drought periods, which may increase due to climate change, have great impacts on catchment sources and therefore on the water supply system. Recent findings from NASA suggest that underground aquifers around the world are under stress, with water levels dropping at a faster rate than expected.3

Another vast network collects and treats the water that goes down the drain to ensure it is disposed of safely. Household chemicals, paints and pharmaceuticals disposed of in the sewer system pose serious risks to our health and our waterways and harbours, so effective treatment is essential. Most of our wastewater (80%) is treated in the Mangere treatment plant, with 13% treated in Rosedale and the remaining 7% in 18 other treatment plants across the region.

Our water infrastructure is sized to supply water in times of peak demand, which typically occur in summer as households water their outdoor plants and lawns and fill their swimming pools. Reducing the city’s summer peak demand is key to delaying the construction of new infrastructure and the need for new water sources. 

Two key areas – in addition to changes in behaviour – that can reduce water demand for a house in this time of peak demand are efficient appliances and greywater reuse. These not only reduce water bills; the latter also provides some independence from the city supply for a household.

1Watercare's volumetric potable water charge (effective until 30 June 2016) is $1.409 per cubic metre (1,000 litres). See Watercare, 'Domestic Water, Waste Water and Other ​Charges'.

2Watercare's wastewater charge (effective until 30 June 2016) is $2.394 per cubic metre (1,000 litres). See Watercare, 'Domestic Water, Waste Water and Other Charges'.


​​
Provide Feedback Next Page   Previous Page