The table illustrates the pricing structures for water consumption and the resulting average household bills across five major Australian cities. Overall, the data reveals a clear divide between cities with uniform pricing and those that implement tiered rates based on consumption levels.
Sydney and Melbourne maintain a flat rate for all water usage, charging $0.98 and $0.78 per kiloliter respectively. In contrast, Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth apply tiered pricing. Perth exhibits the most significant price jump, increasing from $0.42 for usage up to 125 KL to $1.50 for consumption exceeding that threshold. Adelaide follows a similar, albeit less extreme, pattern, rising from $0.42 to $1.00. Brisbane shows the most modest increase, moving from $0.81 to $0.84.
Regarding average household expenditure, Perth residents pay the most at $332, despite the city's low initial usage rate. Sydney and Adelaide follow with bills of $319 and $312, respectively. Brisbane’s average bill is slightly lower at $310. Melbourne, which benefits from the lowest flat rate of $0.78 per kiloliter, also records the lowest average household bill among the five cities, at $253.