86Water organisation may set charges

1. A water organisation may set and collect charges for 1 or more of the following:

2. water supply services:
3. stormwater services:
4. wastewater services, including trade waste services.

5. A charge set and collected under subsection (1) may include charges for 1 or more of the following:

6. the initial connection to 1 or more of the services specified in subsection (1):
7. serviceability (see section 88):
8. meeting the costs that the water organisation incurs in performing and exercising its duties, functions, and powers in relation to providing water services.

9. When setting a charge, the water organisation may determine—

10. how the charge is assessed; and
11. when the charge is due; and
12. how the charge is collected; and
13. how the charge may be paid.

14. When determining whether to set a charge, or how a charge is to be collected or may be paid, the water organisation may (by way of example) do 1 or more of the following:

15. charge a fixed or variable charge:
16. charge according to water usage or wastewater flow:
17. require a deposit and then further payment:
18. require full payment at the outset:
19. charge on the basis of an hourly rate or any other rate of service or by any other method of charging.

20. For the purposes of subsection (2)(b), a charge for serviceability is a charge in respect of a property to which section 88 applies.

21. A charge set under this section—

22. must be set in accordance with the water organisation’s water services strategy (see sections 230 and 231); but
23. must not be based on, or take into consideration, a property’s rateable value.

24. In this section, trade waste services means services provided in relation to trade waste.