Ballina Shire Council maintains a proactive meter replacement program across the shire. There are a number of reasons a meter may need to be replaced:

Council staff routinely carry out replacements as needed, particularly the larger or more complex meters across our Shire. In addition, as part of our ongoing maintenance program, we have engaged Want Gas Plumbing to replace 4,000 residential water meters over the next two years.

Why are we replacing the old meters?

Council has approximately 14,000 water meters servicing customers, with 4,000 of these more than 15 years old. Old meters can under read or stop working. Council is replacing these ageing meters to ensure they continue to read accurately.

Will I know when you are coming to replace my water meter?

You will receive a knock on the door to inform you before work starts and your water is turned off, however if no one is home an information card will be left to inform you that your meter has been replaced. Keeping in mind that water meter replacements have a very limited impact on residences, with outages usually less than 30 minutes.

Our two-year water meter replacement program is shire-wide. Meters will be replaced based on age however other circumstances, such as stopped meters, can take priority. This means that Council will be working to a flexible schedule and will not be setting rigid dates for works to be completed in specific suburbs or streets.

What will happen on the day my water meter is replaced?

Want Gas Plumbing contractors will knock on the door to notify the property owner before their water is briefly turned off during replacement works. Individual water meter replacement takes less than 30 minutes. If no one is home a calling card will be left to notify customers that their meter has been replaced.

How will I know if a contractor is legitimate?

Want Gas Plumbing staff will be carrying an authorisation letter, provided by Council, explaining that they have been engaged to carry out the water meter replacements. Residents can request to view this letter should they have any concerns.

What do I need to do?

All you need to do is ensure that there is one metre clearance around your meter and stopcock to provide unhindered access for staff.  

Will this cost me money?

There is no cost to the property owner for the replacement of meters through our ongoing maintenance program. However, if your meter needs to be replaced due to damage that has been caused by a household member, or visitor to the residence, a fee starting at $100 can be charged for the replacement.