Council are warning people while Council owns the water meter, property owners are responsible for ensuring it's protected from damage or theft.

Griffith City Council advises residents that a $2,000 fee will apply if a water meter on their property is stolen, missing, or tampered with.

The $2,000 fee demonstrates the seriousness of water theft which is a criminal offence that puts unfair financial pressure on the whole community.

Water theft not only disrupts supply but also drives up expenses for all ratepayers, who ultimately shoulder the cost of rectification.

While Council owns the water meter, property owners are responsible for ensuring it's protected from damage or theft.

Only Council staff are authorised to connect to or disconnect from Council’s water mains.

Unauthorised connections will be investigated as suspected water theft.

Tampering with water infrastructure is dangerous and can put lives at risk. There is a very real danger of electrocution. Tampering can also contaminate the water supply, posing a health hazard to the community.

If your water meter has been stolen, you must report the theft to Police and notify Council immediately. Council will then arrange for a new meter to be installed as soon as possible.

“Every drop of water is a valuable community resource. Water theft and tampering affect everyone by adding financial pressure to ratepayers and putting additional stress on our water network,” Griffith Mayor Doug Curran said.

Residents are encouraged to help protect their community’s water supply by staying vigilant and promptly reporting any suspicious activity.

For further information or to report a stolen water meter, please contact Council on 1300 176 077.

So, if you are like me and wonder why on Earth people would steal a water meter, here’s a possible reason why.

Some believe thieves may be selling the water meters as scrap metal. However, there’s also a chance people may be using stolen water meters in between scheduled readings to avoid large water bills.