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  5. Hardship payment plans

We understand that your circumstances can, at times, make it difficult for you to pay your water and sewerage bill. If you are experiencing genuine financial hardship, we may be able to make appropriate arrangements to help your situation.

Unitywater Contact Centre, Female staff

To apply please call us on 1300 664 389 to discuss your circumstances with our specialist team

If you can’t pay, it’s very important to communicate with us

We know this can be a stressful time, but speaking to us about your circumstances as soon as possible will help us to help you by:

  • developing a realistic and affordable Hardship Payment Plan
  • exempting you from further debt recovery action and interest on the outstanding amount owing while you are under a Hardship Payment Plan
  • providing payment options to help make your bills more manageable
  • assisting with information to help you reduce your water usage.

Our promise to you

You will be treated with dignity and respect and your circumstances will be kept confidential. We don’t discriminate against customers experiencing financial hardship.

We will be transparent, consistent and equitable in the administration of the hardship criteria and dispute resolution processes.

We may also be able to refer you to other support programs available within Unitywater and through community organisations and government agencies.

Hardship eligibility

If you are affected by any of the following circumstances, you are eligible to be assessed for hardship assistance:

  • loss of employment

  • separation, family breakdown or domestic violence

  • death in the family

  • illness including physical incapacity, hospitalisation or mental illness

  • natural disaster

  • low or fixed income insufficient to pay reasonable and normal living expenses

  • referral from a financial counselling agency or community organisation 

  • another sudden change of circumstance that adversely affects your financial capacity to pay, at the discretion of our Credit Manager.

Hardship FAQs

You, or a relevant authorised person who is able to assist you, need to advise us that you are experiencing payment difficulties and give a reason for these difficulties.

Please call 1300 664 389 to discuss your circumstances with our specialist team. 

We will work with you to develop a realistic and affordable payment plan and your payments can be paid using any of the regular payment options available on your bill. 

While we are working together to assist you, no interest will be charged on any overdue amounts unless you fail to pay a payment plan as agreed, without communicating any change in your circumstances to us.

No discounts, credits or rebates will be applied to amounts due under your payment plan.

If you fall behind with your payment, your payment plan will be cancelled and you will be charged interest on the overdue amount as soon as the payment plan is broken.

It is important to keep us informed of any changes in your circumstances as soon as possible. Please call us on 1300 664 389 if you think you might not be able to make an agreed payment or have missed a payment. 

We tailor our hardship payment plans to suit your circumstances based on the following categories:

Short-term hardship

Customers at risk of financial distress caused by unexpected events with short-term financial effects.

Long-term hardship

Resulting from non-permanent causes, with lasting financial effect

Severe hardship

Customers with more extreme difficulties – longer-term issues such as terminal illness 






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