We’re here for you
If you’re worried about paying your bill, you’re not alone. Our Customer Support Team is here for you, with practical options to help ease the pressure.
We’ll work with you to find a solution through flexible payments, payment extensions, and helping you find out if you are eligible for concessions or government grants. Once your support plan is in place, we won’t restrict your water supply or take further debt recovery action.
The sooner you get in touch, the sooner we can help you take control of your water bills – and we’ll keep supporting you for as long as you need.
To chat with us about options, get in touch.
What do you need help with?
You can apply for a one-off payment extension of up to two weeks through our online customer portal, myWannonWater. If you need a little longer to pay, please contact us.
We can also temporarily pause your payments where appropriate.
We can spread out your payments into smaller, more frequent instalments.
Contact us to arrange an instalment plan that suits your needs.
If your residential bill is overdue and you set up a payment plan with us, you may be eligible for bonus credits. If you make three payments in a row on time, we’ll cover the fourth payment for you.
If you keep making payments, we’ll review your account and see if we can reduce your balance, helping you get back on track more quickly.
Contact us to arrange a payment plan.
Pensioners and other concession card holders may be eligible for discounted bills.
If you hold an eligible concession card, you may qualify for a 50 per cent discount (up to a yearly limit) on your bills.
Check if you’re eligible, otherwise you could be getting a larger bill than necessary. We’ll give you a discount as soon as we’re made aware that you qualify. We can also backdate concessions to reduce any outstanding amounts.
To receive a discount, you’ll need to provide your concession card details. We’ll then check your eligibility with Centrelink, so please ensure your details are up to date with them.
Don’t forget, if you move house, your concession doesn’t automatically follow you to your new address. Please update your details with Centrelink and then contact us to make the change.
To qualify for a concession, you must hold one (or more) of these cards:
- Centrelink Pension Concession Card
- Centrelink Health Care Card
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs Pension Concession Card
- Department of Veterans’ Affairs Gold Repatriation Health Card for all conditions.
If you receive a Centrelink benefit, you can pay your bills through direct transfers. You can set up regular automatic deductions from your payment via Centrepay.
Relief grants are available to help low-income customers who are in unexpected hardship. The Victorian Government scheme helps to pay overdue water and energy bills.
An account holder who has one of the following eligible concession cards can apply:
- Pensioner Concession Card
- Health Care Card
- Veterans’ Affairs Gold Card.
If you don’t have one of these cards but your household income is below a certain amount, you may also be able to apply.
To be eligible, you must show that you currently have no way of paying your bill without support.
Your current situation must also match one of the following:
- You or someone in your house has experienced family violence.
- You have had a recent drop in income (e.g. your employment circumstances changed).
- You have had high unexpected costs for essential items.
- You spend more than 30 per cent of your income on housing costs (e.g. rent or mortgage payments).
Grants of up to $650 are available to renters and home owners, based on how much money you owe when you apply and your situation. You can apply once every two years.
Contact us to request an application for the Utility Relief Grant Scheme. We’ll ask you some key questions before starting your application.
You can then complete the application online or ask us to post you a paper form. We can send a friendly team member to your house to help you fill it out, or you can ask a friend, support worker or financial counsellor for assistance.
More information: Victorian Government Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
Our Customer Support Team can refer you to a local service that provides free and confidential financial counselling.
Their counsellors will talk to you about your needs. They’ll provide detailed information on your rights, and options to help you manage your bills.
You can also call the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007, a not-for-profit service that helps people tackle their debt problems. Their professional financial counsellors offer a free, independent and confidential service.
Your quarterly water bill may sometimes be much more than usual due to a leak or unexplained high water meter reading.
In some cases, we can offer a rebate to cover part of the unexpected cost. Contact us to discuss your options.
People who need to use certain life support machines (including haemodialysis units) can get a concession on their water usage charge. Contact us for more information.
One of our Customer Support Team members can visit you at home in certain circumstances. You may be struggling to complete a form, unable to talk to us on the phone, or you can’t leave your house.
You, or a support person, can contact us to discuss your options.
You can nominate a support person or other representative to act on your behalf.
Contact us and we’ll record their details on your account.
Keeping you safe
Are you in a difficult situation due to a partner or family member? We’re here to support you.
We’ll treat you with respect and all your conversations with us will be confidential. You only need to explain your situation to us once – we don’t need any extra proof.
We can help you find an option to deal with any unpaid water bills. We won’t restrict your water supply or take further debt recovery action while we are working with you.
More information is available in our Family Violence Procedure below.
Specialist support
Help is also available from dedicated support agencies. Speak with someone today.
1800RESPECT
A free, confidential information, counselling and support service. Available 24/7 to support people affected by domestic, family or sexual violence.
Safe Steps
Victoria’s 24/7 family violence crisis service. Staffed by trained, experienced and compassionate family violence crisis specialists.
