A Gold Coast resident, Terry Gulliver, is contesting a staggering water bill exceeding AU$5,000, which is nearly eight times his usual charge. The swim coach initially mistook the high bill for his rates notice and was shocked to discover it was for water and sewerage. Upon contacting the city council, he was informed he likely had a leak and needed to arrange for a leak detection service.
An investigation revealed that a tree root from a council-owned tree had infiltrated and cracked a water pipe on Gulliver’s property in Palm Beach, resulting in a significant leak. He described how the root compromised one of the pipe joints, allowing water to pour out uncontrollably.
While homeowners are generally held accountable for pipes beyond the water meter, Gulliver argues that the council should assume financial responsibility since their tree caused the damage. He is worried about possible further damage if this issue is left unresolved and wants the council to reimburse him for the costs incurred due to the leak.
The Gold Coast City Council has stated that they notified Gulliver earlier about a potential issue and noted that no formal complaints were made after that notification. Gulliver insists on a solution for restitution and urges the council to reconsider the management of their trees.