Billing, payment and accounts FAQs

To discuss your bill, please call us on (09) 442 2222, press 2.

For information on checking your balance, ways to pay, our charges, leak allowance, refunds, e-billing and more, see Manage account.

For information about  financial help, high bill, meter readings, tenants and landlords, see Help with your account

All customers receive a bill monthly, but the exact date depends on your billing cycle. To find out the date, phone (09) 442 2222, press 2.

Or use MyAccount: log in and click ‘Billing history’ in the top bar. Then click ‘Download copy’ beside a bill, and you will see the date of the bill. This will give you an indication of the usual billing date. 

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Your bill is due 21 days after the date on the bill. 

If you don’t pay within 21 days of the date on your bill, we may charge an administration fee of $8 or 1 per cent of the overdue balance per month, whichever is greater.

Please allow a minimum of 2 working days for the payment to appear on your account. 

Yes, you can pay your bill online by credit card, debit card or account2account. For internet banking we are set up as a pre-loaded payee at all major banks.

Pay online now

You can also use MyAccount – select ‘Pay a bill’ in the top bar. 

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Yes, just enter the amount you want to pay.

Yes, just provide the other person’s account number when you pay. For ways to pay see Pay a bill.

Or you can use MyAccount: select  ‘One-off payment’.   

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Reading out the terms and conditions is a legal requirement. If you have gone through this process before, we don’t need to repeat it – our call centre team will ask you first.
 
If you prefer, you can:

• Click here to complete our direct debit form 

• Set up direct debit via MyAccount: just log in or register.

You will need to tick the box to show you have read the terms and conditions.


Learn more about direct debit

Direct debit terms and conditions

Make sure your bank account supports direct debit – you will need to discuss this with your bank. If you still have problems, call us on (09) 442 2222, press 2.

To cancel direct debit, phone (09) 442 2222, press 2.

To cancel a recurring credit card, please phone us on (09) 442 2222, press 2.

There is no option to cancel these payments online through MyAccount.

You will need to contact your bank to cancel the payment.

We offer a range of support for customers needing financial help or advice. See Need help paying a bill?

When you sell your property, you must make sure your solicitor contacts us to close your old account, and advise us of your new property. We do not carry over any information about the previous owner/tenant, billing or payment methods.

Moving house/homeowners

MyAccount is an easy way to manage your water account online, on this site. When you have registered you can access your account any time to check your balance, view or download past bills, switch to e-billing, update your details and more. 

Log in  Register  MyAccount help

If you want to manage your account online, you need to be an existing customer and have a water account with us.

Log in  Register  MyAccount help

Your account number is linked to your current house or premises.
Here are the situations where your Watercare account number will change:

• If you move to a new property. Learn more

• If you as owner change the account name from a business name to a personal name, or vice versa.

• If your water meter is reclassified as domestic/commercial.

• If you are a tenant and you move house or premises. Learn more

• If a meter is separated onto another account related to the same property.

Domestic charges: For every 1,000 litres of water that enters your property, we only charge you for 78.5 per cent (785 litres) of wastewater. This allows 21.5 per cent (215 litres) for outside activities where the water doesn’t return to the wastewater system - such as washing your car and watering your garden. This applies year-round, even during the cooler months when you are unlikely to be using the garden hose.
 
Commercial charges: The wastewater tariff varies depending on your industry type and the percentage of wastewater discharged.

Learn more:

Commercial charges (PDF)

Wastewater pricing plans

Industry wastewater percentages

The charge is higher because wastewater requires more treatment than water.

Collecting and treating wastewater

Running your garden hose for an hour uses up to 400 litres and costs around $1.35, depending on your water pressure.

Be Waterwise  Gardening tips

The charges are based on your pricing plan and industry type.

If you are a commercial customer, you can apply to switch to a new pricing plan.

We set up accounts under the legal property owner’s name, as our contract is with the owner.  
When you buy a property, the seller’s solicitor sends us the notice of sale. We then create an account in your name, with a new number. We do not carry over any information or debts from the previous owner, or any payment arrangements.  
When you sell a property, we receive the notice of sale from your solicitor and close your account.  
For full details, including tenants/lessees, see Moving house or business 

You must pay the full cost of the water used to fill up a pool – the volumetric water charge. View current charge. The water charge will be included in the next bill based on an actual reading. 

The wastewater charge is also in the next bill and is charged at the standard 78.5% of your water use. You are paying in advance for wastewater services (i.e. when the pool is drained into the wastewater network in the future). How we calculate our charges

Please contact Auckland Council. We provide them with the details of your water bill, so they can calculate the rates rebate.