Water waste can increase costs and may indicate maintenance problems in a body corporate. Practical changes can help your scheme, owners and residents use water more carefully and identify leaks sooner.
How can a body corporate save water?
Start with maintenance. Poorly maintained plumbing fixtures, leaking pipes and faulty fittings can waste water and cause damage if they are not addressed.
Queensland’s body corporate legislation, including the Body Corporate and Community Management (Standard Module) Regulation 2020, sets out responsibilities for common property and lots. The body corporate must maintain common property in good condition, while a lot owner must maintain their lot in good condition. The registered survey plan and community management statement help identify where the boundaries and responsibilities fall.
Utility infrastructure can be more difficult to allocate. The relevant responsibility depends on the plan of subdivision, the regulation module and where the infrastructure is located. Under the Standard Module, an owner is responsible for specified utility infrastructure serving only their lot, including listed devices situated on common property.
If you are unsure whether a problem affects common property or your lot, refer to our body corporate maintenance factsheet and check the scheme’s plan and community management statement.
Who is responsible for fixing a water leak?
If you notice a leak on common property, notify the body corporate as soon as possible. Include the location, when you first noticed it and photographs or video if they help show the problem.
The committee can make decisions on behalf of the body corporate and put lawful decisions into place. It may consider engaging a plumber or another qualified professional to investigate the leak, subject to the applicable spending limit, available funds and any approval required for the work.
If the leak is within your lot, arrange prompt repairs and check whether the affected pipe, fitting or fixture is your responsibility. Owners must maintain utility infrastructure within the boundaries of their lot where it is not common property.
Renters should also notify their letting agent or landlord about a leak inside the lot. Acting promptly can help reduce water waste and limit damage.
For more information, see our guide to managing water leaks in a strata property.
What signs suggest a leak in common property or a lot?
Some leaks are easy to see, while others may continue unnoticed. Look for:
- unexplained wet or soggy areas on common property
- pool levels falling more quickly than expected
- hissing from a toilet cistern after flushing
- water running down the back of a toilet bowl
- damp areas, staining or mould near pipes and fittings
- unusually noisy pipes or plumbing fixtures.
These signs do not identify who is responsible for the repair. They can prompt you to report the problem and have the location investigated.
How can a body corporate reduce water use in gardens and common areas?
A body corporate or onsite team can review water use across common property. Practical steps include:
- turn common-property taps off firmly when they are not being used
- sweep paths and walkways instead of hosing them
- adjust irrigation to suit seasonal conditions
- use moisture or rain sensors where suitable
- avoid watering when rain is expected or just after rainfall
- recirculate water features and operate them only when needed
- water gardens during cooler parts of the day, subject to any current local water restrictions.
Check irrigation systems, garden taps, pool equipment and water features during routine inspections. A small fault can continue wasting water between maintenance visits.
What can owners and residents do to use less water?
Owners and residents can reduce household water use through simple habits:
- wash full loads in the washing machine
- take shorter showers
- use water-efficient fixtures where suitable
- turn off the tap while brushing your teeth
- report dripping taps, running toilets and other plumbing problems promptly
- water private gardens during cooler parts of the day, subject to current restrictions.
Water-saving measures may reduce costs as well as water use, although the result will depend on the scheme’s metering arrangements and how water charges are allocated.
Residents should also check any applicable by-laws before installing fixtures or making changes that may affect common property. An owner’s improvement to common property may require approval, and the owner must maintain an approved improvement unless the body corporate says otherwise.
How should a committee decide on water-saving maintenance or upgrades?
The first step is to identify whether the proposal is maintenance or an improvement. Maintenance generally addresses the existing condition of property, while an improvement adds, removes or changes something. The approval process can differ.
For a leak or faulty fitting, the committee should obtain enough information to understand:
- where the problem is located
- whether it affects common property or a lot
- whether urgent work is needed to prevent damage
- whether the work is maintenance or an improvement
- what the estimated cost will be
- whether funds are available in the budget.
The committee’s spending is restricted, and the required decision may depend on the cost and available budget. A general meeting may be needed where spending exceeds the committee’s limit or there is not enough money available.
For upgrades such as irrigation controls, water-efficient fixtures or a replacement water feature, the body corporate may need approval based on the improvement limits. Under the Standard Module, improvements within the basic improvements limit may be approved by committee resolution, while higher-cost improvements may require an ordinary or special resolution.
Saving water is usually a combination of prompt maintenance, sensible common-area practices and everyday changes by residents. If your body corporate needs help coordinating maintenance or considering a water-saving proposal, contact StrataCare at reception@stratacare.com.au.
