Rebate programs lower water bills

TWO community rebate programs funded by the state government are helping Victorians doing it tough to reduce their water bills.

Minister for Water Lisa Neville said almost 11,000 Victorian customers had taken advantage of the Community Rebate Program to help the vulnerable and customers experiencing hardship.

Since July 2015, these customers have saved an estimated 212 million litres of water, which equates to over $700,000 – or $65 per customer–per year.

Many customers report having water leaks or inefficient appliances but can’t afford the cost of repair or replacement.

Through the Community Rebate Program, the water corporations will send someone out to the customer’s house to replace a showerhead, change to a dual or low flush toilet, install flow control devices or repair or fix inefficient water fittings. All costs are covered up front by the grants program.

A key element of the Community Rebate Program is educating vulnerable and hardship customers about water efficiency measures so they can control their water usage and costs.

The program will continue until 2020 and is expected to assist an additional 5,000 customers.