Gold Coast Residents Keen to Reduce Water Usage

The majority of Gold Coast residents are keeping an eye on the amount of water their use in order to reduce their bills, results of a recent survey show.

A total of 1,021 people responded to the survey, which was designed to help the city make future decisions on community engagement, tariff structure and infrastructure planning.

The council's Gold Coast water chair councillor Paul Taylor said that the majority of those who participated in the study thought they were doing well with water conservation.

He commented: "Almost half those who participated in the survey believed they were using less than the city's average household water use of 190 kilolitres a year.

"Their main reason they nominated for using less water is to reduce their bill, followed by saving water out of habit and to conserve resources and the environment."

However, very few customers said they routinely check their water meter to understand their usage and identify potential leaks – the majority simply checked their bill when it arrived.

Devices such as dual-flush toilets and other water-saving technology proved to be popular among those living in residential property in the Gold Coast.

Nearly half of respondents showed a preference for a lower fixed service connection fee and a higher variable charge with their water bills.