Medical Condition Concession Policy

We will provide customers with a medical condition and customers using a haemodialysis machine at home with a free allowance of 450 kilolitres of water and sewerage usage per year. This is applied on a daily basis (1233 litres of water per day). 

This allowance is provided directly on the Unitywater bill sent to the property owner. It is assumed that, if the property is a rental and the tenant is compliant with this policy, the allowance is passed on to the tenant, where this is relevant. Any additional water usage is charged at the normal Unitywater prices.  

Read the Medical Condition Policy.

Medical Condition FAQs

Customers may apply for the allowance by writing to us.

Please enclose:

  • a medical certificate or
  • a letter from Queensland Health or
  • a letter from a renal specialist.

Please outline details of the person’s medical condition or the person on dialysis, and the property address of the haemodialysis machine. 

We will apply the allowance directly to the property’s account and the allowance will be applied in the same period in which the water usage is being billed.

We understand that haemodialysis machines need a constant water supply to function properly. As part of our duty of care to our customers, we have systems in place to identify our haemodialysis customers. This is particularly important during a water outage.

If you have any concerns during an outage, please call our 24-hour faults and emergencies number: 1300 086 489.

If there is a planned interruption to the water supply (e.g. scheduled maintenance):

  • affected haemodialysis customers will be contacted, in addition to our normal water supply interruption notification procedures.

In emergency or fault situations (e.g. burst water main):

  • Unitywater has systems in place to identify customers in the outage area who need immediate notification

  • crews will endeavour to provide assistance to haemodialysis customers to minimise disruptions to their treatment

  • we will ensure that the necessary repairs are carried out as a high priority

  • haemodialysis patients need to ensure that they have been suitably trained by their dialysis-care provider on how to manage interruptions to their water supply.

At the residence of a dialysis patient the meter box, water meter or valve box will feature a sky blue lid or marker post (shown below).

Blue water meter in box

 Water meter with sky blue marker

 

 

The installation of a dialysis machine requires a plumbing application to Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast or Noosa council.

This is because a backflow prevention device must be installed at the connection of the water supply to the machine. Backflow prevention devices are managed by local councils.

Customers who stop using a haemodialysis machine at their home must notify us as soon as possible.

Customers will also be contacted annually to confirm their use of the machine at that property address.