Settlement Financials (QLD): Water Usage Adjustment

The Water Usage Adjustment Item appears as a Standard Item when you open a new matter:

There are two calculation methods available for calculating Water Usage:

1. Search Reading
   When a Special Meter Reading has been conducted. It will calculate the average daily usage based on the Special Meter Reading Search date and Reading (kL), compared to the Water Paid to Date (Last Billed Date) and Reading.
2. Daily Average
   When you would like to calculate the adjustment by using the Water Paid to Date (Last Billed Date) and Average Daily Usage (kL) of the last paid Water Bill.

It will calculate the Adjustment up to the Adjustment Date and then apply any Community Title Scheme (CTS) Apportionment.

The Water Usage Adjustment defaults to the Search Reading view upon opening:

Select the Daily Average radio button to change views:

Search Reading

Let’s say you have obtained a Special Meter Reading which has the following details:

• Billed to date 26 February 2025 with a reading of 780 kL
• Search Reading Date 10 April 2025 with a reading of 940 kL
• Council/Water Authority Rates and Thresholds are:
  • Tariff 1 $2.01 is charged for up to 150 kL
  • Tariff 2 $3.02 is charged after 150 kL

It would be entered as follows:

And based on an Adjustment Date of 22 April 2025 will return the following in the Settlement Statement precedent:

Daily Average

A Daily Average example using the last paid Water Bill:

• Billed to date 26 February 2025 of 780 kL
• Daily Average 8.48 kL
• Council/Water Authority Rates and Thresholds are:
  • Tariff 1 $2.01 is charged for up to 150 kL
  • Tariff 2 $3.02 is charged after 150 kL

And based on an Adjustment Date of 22 April 2025 will return the following in the Settlement Statement precedent:

Bulk Water Usage Rate & CTS Apportionment

An example of entering a Bulk Water Usage Rate and a Shared Percentage CTS Apportionment on a Search Reading Adjustment:

An example showing the above Bulk Water Usage Rate and CTS Apportionment as it appears in the Settlement Statement precedent:

Water Usage overlapping Financial Years

When Water Usage Paid To Date and Adjustment/Settlement Date overlap the end of a Financial Year and the beginning of another, you can enter the different rates in the Rate ($/kL) and the 1 July Rate ($/kL) columns.

In this situation, you would use the:

• Rate ($/kL) column for the Water Paid To Financial Year’s rate; and the
• 1 July Rate ($/kL) column to enter the Adjustment Date Financial Year’s rate.

For example:

• Water Paid To is 1/5/2025 and it falls in the FY24/25 and the rate is $1.10/kL.
• Adjustment Date is in the subsequent Financial year FY25/26 and the rate is $1.20/kL.

This will then calculate each Tier up to the end of the first financial year i.e. FY24/25, and then from the beginning of the second financial year i.e. FY25/26 to the Adjustment date like so:

This applies only where the Water Paid To date and the Adjustment Date fall in successive Financial Years i.e. one immediately following the other (e.g. 24/25 and 25/26) and are at the cross over period.