REDLAND City Council will again ask the state government to introduce a policy to refund residents for the costs of water lost through a concealed leak.
Councillors made the decision while approving a review of its concealed leaks policy.
Redland mayor Karen Williams said council would also investigate allowing charities and organisations that used higher quantities of water to access council's concealed leaks policy.
The city's policy commits council to refund small customers - residents and non-residents that use less than 100 kilolitres per year - for the council component of a water bill when there has been a concealed leak.
Council does not refund the state bulk water usage charge.
"Council has had a concealed leaks policy in place for a number of years that refunds the council paid component of a water bill when there has been a concealed leak," Cr Williams said.
"However the majority of residents' water bills are made up of state government bulk water costs so it makes sense for the state to have a policy that would allow a portion of the money paid to the state for bulk water to also be refunded to residents."
The policy defines a concealed leak as a water loss that is hidden and where there are no signs of dampness or soaking. The occupant could not be expected to know the leak existed.
Cr Williams said council had asked the state government in January last year to implement such a policy and would repeat that request.
"Council has already paid the state for the bulk water so it makes sense for this money to go back to residents if there has been a proven concealed leak," she said.
Council also asked officers to investigate extending the concealed leaks policy to larger charities and not-for-profits.
"Currently our concealed leaks policy only applies to non-residential users that use less than 100 kilolitres a year," she said.
"This means local charities using more water because they are helping more people are unable to access the policy."
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