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UPDATED: Understanding Your Water Bill: 6kl Water Allowance and System Estimate Reversal

Free Basic Water Allowance
Every residential account gets 6 kℓ of free water per month, this equates to (6kℓ x 12 months) = 72kℓ per year.
To make billing fair, and accurate the free water is now applied per day:
This means your free allowance depends on the number of days between meter readings, not just a fixed 6 kℓ per reading.

Examples
• 29-day reading: 29 × 0.197 kℓ ≈ 5.7 kℓ free
• 32-day reading: 32 × 0.197 kℓ ≈ 6.3 kℓ free
Small amounts on your bill (e.g., R2–R5) simply reflect water used above the free allowance.
• No extra charges
• No loss of free water
• Billing is now accurate and fair

System Estimates Reversal
When your meter reading is estimated and an actual reading is later obtained the system will automatically reverse all estimated charges from the date of the last estimate and recalculate your water consumption using the per-day method.


In this case, the system will reverse the December and January estimates and recalculate your total consumption from 15/10/2025 to 19/01/2026.

If we estimated that you used 44 (22+22) kilolitres, but the real reading later shows you actually used 62 kilolitres between the previous and current reading dates:
· The estimate is reversed.
· The system recalculates the period based on the actual 62 kilolitres.
· The difference appears on your next bill.
Previously, this correction was done manually via back-end journals. The new system automates it, making your billing more accurate, transparent, and fair.

Additional Information:
Customers may receive a statement that reflects water charges in line with the current tariff structure:
• George Emergency Level 3 tariffs: Up until 11 May 2026
• Haarlem and Uniondale Emergency Level 3 tariffs: Up until 11 May 2026

Please note that the Municipality is currently on Normal Water Tariffs effective from 12 May 2026.

Billing Implications
Residents and consumers are advised that the lifting of the Level 3 Emergency Water Tariffs may not result in a substantial reduction in the municipal water charges reflected on the May 2026 accounts. This is due to the fact that a number of meter reading routes had already been closed and processed prior to the effective implementation date of 12 May 2026.

Consequently, portions of the May 2026 billing cycle were still calculated in accordance with the previ-ously approved emergency water tariffs. Consumers are therefore expected to observe a more signifi-cant reduction in the water tariffs charged on accounts issued during the June 2026 billing cycle, when the revised tariffs will be fully incorporated across all billing routes.