New South Wales Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal has found that Sydney apartment dwellers are paying disproportionately less for water services than their counterparts in stand-alone houses.

 

The tribunal found that as apartments do not usually have individual water meters, their water bills are significantly lower than the average household.

 

With apartment dwelling rates at one in three of the total Sydney population, the tribunal has announced its intentions to ensure that multi-dwelling residents pay an even share of the total water costs.

 

The move would see stand-alone houses enjoy a 5.1 per cent drop in water rates, while multi-dwelling residents would see an increase of 11.3 per cent in the average water will.

 

''Multi-premise dwellings are paying approximately 40 per cent of the residential water service charge paid by freestanding houses in Sydney Water's area, but make up an increasing proportion of the total properties served,'' the tribunal found.