New Unit Metering Class B Standards and Guidelines

In October 2024 Icon Water provided information regarding the legislative changes introduced by the ACT Government where any new unit development will be required to include individual water meters for each unit. This will enable customers to monitor their consumption and receive an Icon Water bill for the water used at their individual unit. 

The changes are designed to improve equitability and water management.

What you need to know: New Metering Requirements for Class B Developments
The changes are being introduced in a phased approach, where the first changes will only apply to Class B developments:

·         From 1 January 2025: Developers can ‘opt-in’ for individual Class B unit metering (defined below).

·         From 1 July 2025: Individual Class B unit metering will become mandatory.

Developers who ‘opt in’ early will enable owners of these properties to have greater knowledge and understanding of their water usage so they can make informed behavioural changes; improved capability to perform leak detection within individual units; and will be supporting more equitable billing.

What is a Class B Development?

A Class B development is defined by the ACT Government as a group of individual units where each unit has its own footprint on the ground. Examples of such developments include:

·         Townhouse complexes, either terraced or standalone

·         Adjacent shopfronts in commercial or industrial complexes

For more detailed information about Class B developments, please refer to the ACT Government’s guidelines.

What this means: Developers will be responsible for making sure that they comply with Icon Water’s Design and Construction Standards and Guidelines for Class B units within the timelines outlined above.

These have now been published on the Icon Water website here. The Guidelines and Standards may be updated over time, so it is important to refer to the Icon Water website for the most up to date version.