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Water Assist & Start Over applications

Whether you're a financial counsellor or customer experiencing financial difficulty, we have the information you need to find out if our Water Assist or Start Over packages can help you manage your water bills. 

NOTE: If you're a customer needing financial assistance, please read the information below before speaking to our Financial Care Consultants.

Water Assist and Start Over programs

Here is a little more about our two financial support packages.

  • Water Assist is a two-year program with a regular and interest-free payment arrangement where we will match any payment made by the customer, dollar for dollar, up to $150 per month. So, for every payment you make, we will credit your account with the same amount. For example, if you pay $100, your account will be credited by $200. 
  • Start Over is for customers with long term debt greater than $2,000. It encourages customers to pay their ongoing water use and service charges as we match their payments at the end of year one and waive all debt by the end of year two. If you make payments on-time for your current water, use and service charges for one year, we'll match those payments as a credit towards your outstanding balance. If you do the same for a second year, we will waive your outstanding balance. Start Over provides an incentive that encourages regular payments as previous debt does not have to be paid down in the current year. 

Water Assist Frequently asked questions

Owner/occupiers assessed as experiencing financial hardship by a registered financial counsellor with a debt between $750 - $2,000. We can connect you to a registered financial counsellor, or you can choose your own. Water Assist provides an incentive that encourages regular payments.

To be eligible the customer must:  
• be a residential owner/occupier of the property 
• be in financial hardship 
• ability to commit to a payment arrangement that will cover ongoing charges with the assistance of matched payments  
• not be a resident of an Aboriginal Community due to unique housing arrangements. 

If you’re a customer, please speak to one of our Financial Care Consultants by calling 1300 650 471 to assess your eligibility (see above), and apply for the program on your behalf. You will then hear from us within five business days.

No, deferred charges don’t make up part of a customer’s overdue balance, so it cannot be taken out of deferment for the purpose of Water Assist.

Water Assist is only available on payments made direct to Water Corporation by the customer. Any payment made by HUGS (Hardship Utility Grant Scheme) or Department of Communities for example, will not be matched. Any sort of credit adjustment, like a leak allowance, will also not be matched.

Yes, if you have defaulted previously, you can reapply to go back onto Water Assist by speaking to our Financial Care Consultants as above. 

Start Over Frequently asked questions

Owner/occupiers assessed as experiencing financial hardship by a registered financial counsellor, with a debt greater than $2,000. We will connect you with a registered financial counsellor.

To be eligible, the customer must:

  • be a residential owner/occupier of the property 
  • be in financial hardship 
  • ability to commit to an arrangement that covers ongoing charges 
  • not be a resident of an Aboriginal Community due to unique housing arrangements.

If you’re a customer, please speak to one of our Financial Care Consultants by calling 1300 650 471 to discuss your situation and consider referring you to the National Debt Helpline to assess your eligibility (see above) and apply for the program on your behalf.

No, deferred charges don’t make up part of a customer’s overdue balance, so it cannot be taken out of deferment for the purpose of Start Over. 

The customer’s commitment is to pay all new charges as they occur throughout the year. At the end of the first year, if their payments have covered all charges raised, they remain eligible to have their payments matched as a lump sum. Similarly, at the end of the second year, if their payments have covered all charges raised, they can still have their debt waived. As long as they stay in contact with us, we’ll continue to assist where possible.

If you’re a customer and would like to apply, please speak to one of our Financial Care consultants by calling 1300 650 471.

For financial counsellors, to submit an application on behalf of your customer, we will require your National Registration number.

If you require any assistance, you can email us at fs@watercorporation.com.au.

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