Redland City Council today voted to repeat its continued requests for the State Government to introduce a concealed leaks policy to refund residents for the costs of the State’s bulk water lost through a concealed leak.

Mayor Karen Williams said today’s decision would also investigate allowing local charities and not for profit organisations that use higher quantities of water to access Council’s concealed leaks policy.

“Council has had a concealed leaks policy in place for a number of years that refunds the Council paid component of a water bill when there has been a concealed leak,” Cr Williams said.

“However, the majority of residents’ water bills are made up of State Government bulk water costs, so it makes sense for the State to have a policy that would allow a portion of the money paid to the State for bulk water to also be refunded to residents.

“Council has already paid the State for the bulk water so it makes sense for this money to go back to residents if there has been a proven concealed leak.

“In January last year Council wrote to the State to request they implement such a policy, but they elected not to.

“Today we have repeated that request and I will be writing to the State Government on behalf of the community.”

Cr Williams said Councillors also moved an amendment in today’s General Meeting asking officers to investigate extending the concealed leaks policy to larger charities and not for profit organisations.

“Currently our concealed leaks policy only applies to non-residential users that use less than 100 kilolitres a year,” Cr Williams said.

“This means local charities using more water because they are helping more people are unable to access the policy.

“Councillors today asked officers to explore options to expand the policy to assist those charities in our community helping those most vulnerable, with a report to come to a future General Meeting for decision.”