If you own an undeveloped block in Wildflower Ridge, or a property in the Muchea Industrial Park or our Operating Area, and you require water to be made available to your property for the first time (for example when your building works are about to commence and your builder requires water), you or your builder will need to apply to Muchea Water for a connection, by completing a ‘Connection Application Form’ (either for a residential connection or for a business connection). Connection fees do apply and are set out on the Building Service Fees & Charges Form.

Once connected and water is available to your property, you will be invoiced water usage charges in accordance with the current rate schedule. Please note that you are responsible for the water usage during the construction of your new dwelling or building.

A step-by-step guide to requesting a new connection to our Water Supply is shown on our Get Connected page on this website.

No. Only Muchea Water can connect your property to the water system.

Neither your builder or plumber is authorised to connect to Muchea Water’s water system under any circumstances.

Significant penalties (up to $10,000) will be applied, including to the landowner, for any connections made by anyone other than Muchea Water and criminal prosecutions may also follow. The landowner will also be charged for removal of illegal connections and for any damage  to the system (which may run into thousands of dollars).

There are a number of reasons why connections are closely controlled by Muchea Water, not the least of which is the health issues that may result from tampering with a potable water supply. The system that treats and delivers water to your property, and the water itself, is provided for a charge. Unauthorised connections mean water is being stolen, and accordingly criminal prosecutions may result.

When your building works are about to commence and your builder requires water, you or your builder will need to apply to Muchea Water for a connection, by completing a ‘Connection Application Form’ (either for a residential connection or for a business connection). Connection fees do apply and are set out on the Building Service Fees & Charges Form.

Please note that you are responsible for the water usage during the construction of your new dwelling or building.

A step-by-step guide to requesting a new connection to our Water Supply is shown on our Get Connected page on this website.

The water supply to a house is not disconnected when the property changes hands.

In the case of a change in ownership, ask your settlement agent to advise Muchea Water about details of the new owner and the date the meter is to be read when ownership changes.

In the case of rented accommodation, the managing agent/owner should have the water meter read by Muchea Water when a tenant moves in and out, to calculate the correct usage amount.

No. We aren’t that sort of water supplier – we don’t have water trucks, we don’t cart water, so we can’t get out to you to top up your water tank.

We are a mains water supplier. We only supply water through our mains pipe network and only to households in the Wildflower Ridge Estate in Chittering or to properties in the Muchea Industrial Estate. So, unless you have a property in one of these locations AND you have been connected to our pipe network, then we aren’t able to supply you.

Instead, you need to find a water carrier – there are a number of local companies who offer this service.

Muchea Water installs smart meters to all customer properties following a customer connection application. These meters record how much water has been used on a property and send readings to Muchea Water remotely.

Usage data is recorded every 30 minutes for each property, or around 1,440 items of data every month (depending on the number of days in the month), enabling detailed mapping of water use which can provide information useful in assessing any leaks or improper use.

Muchea Water uses readings from water meters for billing purposes every three months or so. However, special interim readings can be done on request for customers or their agents and a charge is payable for this service. Contact us to request a meter reading.

It can be surprising to learn how much water you use in a day. Do you know how much water your shower uses? Or how much running the dishwasher every night contributes to your water bill?

It’s good to be aware of how much your daily activities are using – once you know, you’ll be a lot more conscious of how you can save water. (In the following FAQ, we provide a guide on what water some household appliances can be using.)

The biggest water-users in the home are typically washing machines, showers, taps and toilets.

Garden watering, especially by automatic (set and forget) reticulation systems, can also be a big water use and can be overlooked when you’re thinking about your daily household water use.  The same goes for pools and automatic pumps.

You may also have a hidden leak. The first step is to assess if you have a water leak:

• check meter reading is correct
• check for any visible leaks.

Check for any hidden leaks:

• by reading your meter last thing at night
• by reading your meter again first thing in the morning
• any difference in the two readings will indicate the quantity of water consumed.  (Don’t forget to account for any night time bathroom trips.)

Check your reticulation:

• Sometimes overlooked, but your reticulation may be using a lot of water without you realising.
• You should periodically check your program timer to ensure its coming on only when you want, and for the duration you want. Particularly after any power outages. (Please remember to follow the 2-day a week watering roster and observe the winter switch-off too.)
• To check your reticulation system’s water use: Read your water meter just before your system is due to start and then again after it switches off, to be aware of how much water is used in a full reticulation cycle.

How can Muchea Water help?

Your meter records the amount of water usage every 30 minutes. Each day that’s 48 items of data and over a month your meter records around 1,440 items of data. We can use this data to provide you an idea of the pattern of water use. This data can also be useful in assessing for any leaks or improper use.

Curious about you much water your shower uses? Or your dishwasher? What about your other appliances? Are they water efficient?

Specific information on how much water your appliances use should be set out in the appliance’s user manual. However, as a general guide, below are some indicative Australian Government statistics on how much water may be consumed by different appliances in a household.

• Showerheads
  • Standard style showerheads can use up to 20 litres/minute
  • A water efficient showerhead uses approximately 9 to 10 litres/minute

• Taps
  • Standard taps use from 15-18 litres/minute (eg for handwashing, brushing teeth, cooking and household cleaning)
  • Low-flow taps can get to as little as 2 litres/minute
• Toilets
  • A single-flush toilet can use around 12 litres per flush
  • A dual flush cistern can use around 3 litres for a half flush and around 6 litres for a full flush
• Washing machines
  • A modern front-loading machine uses approximately 50 litres on a normal cycle.
  • A top loader uses between 120-150 litres on a normal cycle.
• Dishwashers
  • Modern dishwashers use around 15 litres for a fast cycle and 20 litres for a normal cycle.
• Baths
  • A bath uses between 50 to 150 litres of water per fill, depending on the water level.
• Garden
  • A garden sprinkler uses approximately 1,000 litres of water an hour.
• Dripping taps or leaking toilets
  • A dripping tap can waste anywhere up to 200 litres of water a day.

By using more water-efficient products you could save considerable amounts of water and potentially lower your water bills.

For the source of much of this information and to read about water efficient appliances and fixtures, go to https://www.energy.gov.au/households/water-efficiency

More information and ideas on water efficiency and saving water at home is also contained in the next question and answer below.

Improving the efficiency of water use is the most cost-effective and immediate way to conserve water.

Around half of Perth’s household water goes on gardens and outdoor areas. But there are some simple things that we can all do inside and outside our homes to save water.

Saving water at home

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) has produced some brochures to help you save water around the house:

• Planting a native garden
• Top 10 tips
• Protecting groundwater
• Being waterwise in the home
• Being waterwise in the garden

Community information

• Garden bore information
• Domestic watering rosters
• Winter sprinkler switch-off
• Water use efficiency programs

These brochures are available from DWER’s website.

Over the spring and summer months, from 1 September until 31 May, a watering roster applies to scheme and domestic garden bore water users across most of WA. During this period, there are specific days each week when you are able to water your garden.

Gardens can only be watered once on your allocated days. Please schedule your sprinklers and reticulation before 9am or after 6pm.

Sprinkler roster days are based on the last digit of your house number. Where there is no house number, the lot number is to be used.

A table showing what water roster days apply to your property is shown on our ‘Get Connected‘ page.

The DWER website has more information on WA’s sprinkler restrictions, including a FAQ section.

There are few ways you can check. One way, is to read all of the digits on your meter when you have finished using water at night. Read the meter again first thing the next morning. If there is any increase, it would indicate that you have a leak (though remember to account for any night time bathroom trips).

To check for a leaky toilet – remove the lid from the cistern. Place a few drops of green or red food dye in the tank. Then wait 30 minutes. If coloured water appears in the bowl, you have a leak. A silent leak can waste 200 litres of water a day.

Fixing leaks saves money!

Turn the stop tap to the closed position (clockwise/to the right). If you are unable to turn the stop tap to the closed position, please contact us.

Call us on 9551 1620 if you have a major internal leak or plumbing works planned within the next 24 hours.

If your meter has been damaged and you still have sufficient water to your property, please contact us during office hours, or leave us a message by following the prompts.

If the damage is interrupting the supply of water to your property, or results in a significant leak, please call us immediately on 9551 1620, and select option 1.

If your meter is missing or you believe it has been stolen, please call us on 9551 1620.

It may be possible and each case will be assessed on its merits. Fees will be applicable. Please contact Muchea Water for more information.

It is an Australian Standard for every water service to be fitted with a suitable device to prevent potentially contaminated water from flowing from your property back into the mains. It is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure backflow prevention devices, approved by Muchea Water, are fitted by licenced plumbers only. Approved backflow devices must be registered and regularly tested, with test results reported to Muchea Water.

If you are selling or moving, you need to notify us as soon as possible. Upon notification, Muchea Water will arrange a special meter reading to take place as close as possible to your settlement date so we can issue you with a final bill.

It is also important to keep us informed if you are selling or moving, so that we can change the account into the new owner’s details. Otherwise you could still be held responsible for the water usage and standard service charges.

Muchea Water does not add fluoride to the water in its operating area. Fluoridation of water is a matter for the Department of Health. For more information please contact the Department of Health (9388 4999).

The Department of Health regulates the quality of drinking water in Western Australia in accordance with the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines published by the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia’s public health policy peak organisation. These guidelines are designed to provide an authoritative reference on what defines safe, good quality water, how it can be achieved and how it can be assured.

Muchea Water sources its water from deep in the Leederville–Parmelia Aquifer, a large underground fresh water supply. Water is abstracted from our production bore located on a secured site.

The water extracted from the aquifer is treated at Muchea Water’s water treatment facility to remove metals and solids and disinfect and dose the treated water to comply with Australian Drinking Water Guideline quality requirements.

The production bore and water treatment is monitored constantly for water quality and water level, to ensure we meet the requirements of the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, the Department of Health and our water licence obligations.

As well as constant online monitoring, regular checks of pH, chlorine and water temperature using handheld instrumentation at the Water Treatment Plant (source and treated water sampling points), and at the Estate and MEN sampling points, are carried out by Muchea Water personnel on a fortnightly basis.

Laboratory testing is conducted on water samples by a NATA accredited testing services organisation.

Every quarter Muchea Water provides the Department of Health a Water Quality Report, containing details of our fortnightly testing and laboratory results. A copy of that Report is also posted onto our website and is available to our customers and the public. You can find copies under the Forms & Documents page on our website.

As part of our routine operations, Muchea Water systematically monitors and reports on our water quality performance, with water samples taken at least every fortnight. In fact, in the past year more than 650 water quality samples were taken.

Laboratory testing is conducted on water samples by a NATA accredited testing services organisation.

Details of our testing and laboratory results are posted onto our website every quarter and are available to our customers and the public. You can find copies of our Water Quality Reports under the Forms & Documents page on our website.

To prevent pathogens from entering the drinking water network, Muchea Water applies a water quality management system with multiple barriers from the catchment to our customers’ taps.

The first barrier is the controls used to protect the groundwater aquifer; the second is the treatment of raw water; and the third is disinfection using chlorine to kill pathogenic microorganisms that may still be present. Chlorination of water is safe and effective, and is used in all major Australian water supplies including Perth. It is used in line with the recommendations of the world’s foremost health authorities, including the National Health and Medical Research Council and the World Health Organisation. The level of chlorine is chosen to ensure this disinfecting barrier travels the full extent of the pipe network.

Our Water Quality Reports to the Department of Health are posted in full onto our website every quarter and are available to all our customers and the public. You can find copies under the Forms & Documents page on our website.

Muchea Water aims to provide our customers with the highest quality water every day. However occasionally, in spring, summer or during periods of high demand you may notice that your water is discoloured.

Discoloured water is absolutely safe to drink. It occurs when high water demand and increased water flow dislodges minute iron particles and sediment either in main water supply pipelines or in household piping.

Muchea Water conducts extensive testing across our pipeline network to provide early detection of potential discolouration. We also conduct regular flushing programs to prevent sediment building up within the network.

Discolouration is usually temporary and there are some simple steps you can take to clear the water:

• Run the tap closest to the water meter for two minutes to see if it clears – capture the flushed water and use it on your garden.

If the discoloured water persists, please call us on 08 9551 1620.

If you have any issues with your water supply or are concerned about any aspect of water quality, please contact Muchea Water through our online Enquiry Form, or by telephone on 9551 1620.

Please contact us through our online Enquiry Form. Or, for our office and telephone details, please see our Contact Us page.

During a bushfire, or other emergency, water supplies cannot be guaranteed. This is often due to electrical outages causing water transfer pumps to stop operating or communications lines being down. In addition, heavy draw on the water supply by firefighters and residents can also reduce water pressure.

For safety reasons, Muchea Water may not be able to access our water treatment plant or respond quickly to system failures for periods of time, if for example, the area is deemed unsafe by the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) or Western Power. The water treatment plant is not a fire safe refuge.

Defending your home during a bushfire

The areas serviced by Muchea Water are designated as bushfire zones and dangerous bushfires can start at any time. So, you need to be prepared and have an up to date Bushfire Survival Plan. You should visit the DFES website for advice.

When a bushfire starts, things can change quickly – sometimes in a matter of minutes. So you need to keep connected and updated regularly during bushfire season.

By being alert and following official warnings closely, you and your family have the best chance to act early and leave for a safer place. Please remember though – no warning system is foolproof.

If you plan to stay and actively defend your home from fire, be aware that this will take enormous effort, and you need to be very well prepared. Among other things, you will need to have an independent water supply and equipment, because the public water supply and water pressure cannot be guaranteed. More information is available on the DFES website.

Please contact us through our online Enquiry Form. Or, for our office and telephone details, please see our Contact Us page.

Sometimes we make mistakes. When this happens, we would like the opportunity to make it better.

If you are not satisfied with something we have done, you can contact us or make an online enquiry or complaint.

All complaints are registered, and interactions are recorded, to allow for further investigation.

If your complaint is billing related, we will delay debt recovery during the investigation process.

We aim to resolve complaints as quickly as possible, however sometimes we may need additional time. We will always attempt to have complaints resolved within 15 business days and we will contact you by phone, email or in writing.

if we are not able to resolve your complaint, you can ask the Energy and Water Ombudsman to investigate the complaint on your behalf.

For more information, including the steps you should follow to make a complaint, please refer to our Help & Advice section.

If you have an urgent fault, you should call us immediately on 9551 1620.

Muchea Water acknowledges the traditional custodians of country throughout Western Australia and their connections to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to all members of the Aboriginal communities and their cultures; and to Elders both past and present.