Reducing our water consumption and costs

Projects
Written By Simon Lambourne

1 March 2026

 

  • The Body Corporate is investigating introducing unit-level water metering as part of wider water infrastructure upgrades.

  • Freemans Park currently spends about NZ$123,000 per year on water and wastewater, with costs continuing to rise.

  • Evidence shows individual metering can reduce household water use by up to 25%, through behaviour change and early leak detection. This delivers environmental and financial benefits while making costs fairer.

  • Although meter installation has an upfront cost, long-term savings and reduced pressure on infrastructure may outweigh it.

The Committee has agreed to investigate introducing unit-level water metering as part of the Body Corporate’s water infrastructure upgrade programme.

Freemans Park currently spends around NZ$123,000 a year on water and wastewater, and these costs are only going up.

Currently, water is only metered at building level. Experience in New Zealand shows that installing individual meters can reduce household water use by up to 25%, mainly through behavioural change and early leak detection. This not only saves money but also helps protect our environment by reducing demand on limited water resources.

Importantly, it is also fairer: residents will pay in proportion to the water they actually use. While there is an up-front cost to install the meters, the evidence from other communities is that the savings can outweigh this over time, and by using less water overall, we help avoid expensive infrastructure upgrades that drive future rates increases.

Owners will be kept updated as the investigation progresses.

 
Simon Lambourne
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