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Billing 　

Water Bills

Q
I’ve used water for some time, but I haven’t received a water bill yet. Why?

A
The possible reasons are as follows:
· You have not applied to start water service yet.
· The water billing period is not yet complete.
· You live in a multifamily building such as a condominium that is not applicable to direct billing by the Waterworks Bureau.
· Since your enrollment in a Welfare Fee Reduction/Waiver Program, your water consumption has never exceeded the waiver limit (your actual bill amounts have been zero).
To check your billing status, contact our Customer Center.

Reissuing Receipts

Q
I lost my bill payment receipt. Can you reissue it?

A
We are unable to reissue a bill payment receipt, but we can issue a certificate of bill payments instead, at a cost of \250 for a period of one fiscal year. To receive such a certificate, visit our service office in your area with a proof of identity (e.g. driver’s license) and your personal seal.
You may also receive such a certificate at any of our other service offices. If you call our service office before your visit, you can reduce waiting time.
Meanwhile, a proxy may receive a certificate at our service office with a proof of identity (e.g. driver’s license) and a letter of proxy signed and sealed by a water service user.

Certificate for Bill Payments

Q
How can I receive a certificate for volume of water consumption and water bill payments for the past year?
A
Each of our service office can issue a certificate for bill payments for a period of one fiscal year at a cost of \250. Visit your nearest service office with a proof of identity  (e.g. driver’s license) and your personal seal. If you call our service office before your visit, you can reduce waiting time.
Meanwhile, a proxy may also receive a certificate at our service office with a proof of identity (e.g. driver’s license) and a letter of proxy signed and sealed by a water service user. 

Higher Water Bills

Q
Since I moved in here, my water bills have suddenly increased. Can you tell me why? 
A
If your water consumption increases without changes in your family structure or life style, water leaks are a possibility. Apart from water leaks, a higher feed-water pressure for your new home compared to the old one is another possibility.
Currently 25 mm-diameter water conduits are most commonly used, instead of 13 mm-diameter ones in the past, to respond to an increased number of taps per household. Larger diameter conduits can increase water pressure, thereby increasing water supply. In other words, when you turn on a faucet, the volume of water that comes out through a 25 mm-diameter conduit is larger than that through a 13 mm-diameter one. Therefore, with a larger diameter conduit you are likely to use more water without realizing it.

Paid Water Bills

Q
I’ve received the same water bill that I’ve already paid. Why? 
A
The Waterworks Bureau resends water bills to customers whose accounts are overdue. If you have already paid your bill, simply dispose of the second water bill.

Welfare Fee Reduction/Waiver Program 

Q
I unexpectedly received a water bill, although I have never received one before. Can you tell me why?
A
You might have been enrolled in a Welfare Fee Reduction/Waiver Program. In such a case, you aren’t charged for the volume of water consumption covered by the basic rate. However, if your water consumption exceeds what is covered by the basic rate, you need to pay for the excess. Therefore, it is possible that your water consumption increased. Are you aware of any changes in your water use circumstances recently? If not, water leaks are a possibility. In that case, contact our Customer Center.

Cost of Water Service 

Q
Is it true that the household water fee is considerably lower than the cost of water service?
A
The cost of water service is calculated by dividing the total costs required for water intake from rivers, water purification and delivery of water to each household by accounted-for water (revenue-earning water). The current cost of water service is \160 excluding tax per cubic meter, calculated based on the financial results for fiscal 2006.
The water rate system of the City of Osaka requires large volume users to pay water fees exceeding the cost of water service (up to \368 per cubic meter), thereby enabling ordinary households to use water essential to their daily lives at reasonable prices. Specifically, an ordinary household pays only \96 excluding tax per cubic meter, a water fee considerably lower than the cost, if its total water use is  20 cubic meters per month.

Use of Revenues from Water Fees  

Q
Can you tell me how the revenues from water fees are used? Considering the relatively low cost of water as a resource, aren’t water fees too large?
A
Revenues from water fees are used to maintain a system that always ensures the delivery of safe and delicious water to customers. For this purpose, various costs are incurred, including: cost of water intake from rivers; cost of water purification; cost of delivery of water from purification plants to customers Etaps; meter maintenance cost; costs of meter reading and fee collection; costs of customer service; and administration costs for all water services. For more information, check the Waterworks Bureau’s website.

Calculating Water Rates

Q
Can you tell me how to calculate my water fee?
A
Click here for automatic water fee computation.(Japane only)

 

Payment Methods 　

Types of Payment Methods

Q
Can you tell me what types of payment methods are available?
A
You can pay your water bills by automatic transfer or pay at a financial institution or convenience store using a transfer form sent to you.

Due Date for Payment

Q
I failed to pay by the due date shown on the transfer form. Where should I pay my water bill?
A
Occasionally, some part-time workers at convenience stores refuse to process overdue water bills, mixing up water bills and other utility bills. However, you can pay your water bill at a convenience store or financial institution even after the due date shown on a transfer form. This is because you don’t have to pay overdue charges, unlike electricity bills or gas bills.

Convenience Stores 

Q
I have no time to pay water bills during the day. Can I make my payments at a convenience store?
A
You can pay your water bills at any of the following convenience stores at any time during their opening hours, using transfer forms sent to you. Meanwhile, if you choose to pay your bills by automatic transfer, you can save trips to convenient stores. To receive an automatic transfer payment application form, contact our Customer Center.
、EConvenience stores where you can pay your water bills 、Ebr> Lawson, FamilyMart, Daily Yamazaki, Yamazaki Daily Store, Ministop, am/pm, Circle K Sunkus, Seven-Eleven

Credit Card

Q
Can I pay my water bills by credit card?
A
Credit card payments are currently unavailable. We have examined the feasibility of introducing the credit card payment method so far. However, a commission paid to a credit card company in the case of a credit card payment is much higher than that to a bank or other financial institution in the case of an automatic transfer payment. Therefore, there is concern that increased commission expenses resulting from credit card payments would be a threat to revenues from water service.
Under these circumstances, we are unable to introduce the credit card payment method at the moment. However, considering this payment method has been introduced by some other local governments in recent years, this is an important issue that requires us to continue to examine, observing changes in social conditions.

Where to Pay Water Bills

Q
Can I pay my water bills anywhere around the country?
A
You can pay your water bills at any branches of major city banks and specified convenience stores country-wide, as well as at post offices in the Kinki region’s six prefectures.
Meanwhile, if you choose to pay your bills by automatic transfer, your water bills will be automatically deducted from the account of your choice. However, only specified financial institutions can process the automatic transfer payments.  For more information, contact our Customer Center.

Reissuing Transfer Forms

Q
I lost my transfer form. Can you reissue it?
A
Yes. To request a reissue, contact our Customer Center. You will receive a reissued transfer form in an envelope, instead of a postcard-type transfer form.

Bill Collection

Q
Can you collect my water bills? 
A
We are unable to collect water bills. Pay your bills by automatic transfer or pay at a financial institution or convenience store using a transfer form.

 

Basic Rate 　

Basic Rate

Q
Why do I have to pay a water fee that applies to 10 cubic meters even when my water consumption is less than 10 cubic meters? What is a basic rate?
A
The basic rate—\950 excluding tax or \997 including tax—covers 10 cubic meters of water per month, a basic volume of water set as a required minimum for basic life needs.
The basic rate also covers a part of the costs that are required even when you don’t use any water, including: cost of maintaining water pressure in pipes to keep water available for use at any time, maintenance cost of facilities such as purification plants, fee calculation cost and meter reading cost. Part of such costs must be covered by basic rates to maintain a system that always ensures the delivery of safe and delicious water to customers.

Basic Volume of Water

Q
Can you tell me what a basic volume of water is?
A
A basic volume of water E0 cubic meters of water per month—is set as a required minimum for basic life needs and covered by a basic rate of \950 excluding tax or \997 including tax.

 

Volume Unit Prices 　

Progressive Rate Structure 

Q
Why does the fee increase as my water consumption increases?
A
The City of Osaka has a progressive water rate structure in which large volume users pay more per unit of water. This structure requires large volume users to pay water fees exceeding the costs, thereby enabling ordinary households to use water essential to their daily lives at reasonable prices, which are considerably lower than the costs.
The ratio of the highest to the lowest unit prices peaked at about 7.8 times during a period from September 1975 to October 1980 and then has gradually been lowered to the current level of about 3.9 times, which was calculated based on the rate revision in 1997.
To meet an increasing demand for water during the years of high economic growth, we had to construct or expand water service facilities. Then, with the aim of covering such costs, we required large volume users, who would benefit more from such facilities, to pay more per unit of water. That was the beginning of the progressive rate structure. Since then demand for water has been decreasing. Accordingly, we have been making the water rate structure less progressive.
In addition to the City of Osaka, other city governments have adopted similarly progressive rate structures. In Osaka, under this structure, the unit price for water use of 11-20 cubic meters is \97 excluding tax, while that for over 1,001 cubic meters is \368 excluding tax.
We will continue to review our water rate structure, soliciting opinions from our customers. We appreciate your kind understanding of our water rate structure.

Volume Unit Prices

Q
How much does one cubic meter of water cost?
A
The price per cubic meter varies depending on the total water consumption and purpose of water use.
A water fee consists of a basic rate charged regardless of volume of water consumption and an excess charge rate levied depending on the volume of water consumption. An excess charge rate is subject to a progressive rate structure in which large volume users pay more for a unit of water. Moreover, we have different water rate tables for different purposes of water use. Therefore, the price per cubic meter varies from purpose to purpose.
For your information, when a household consumes 20 cubic meters of water per month, the water fee per cubic meter will be \96 excluding tax.
Let me present a simple comparison here. One cubic meter (1,000 liters) of water is equivalent to 1,000 one-liter bottles of water. Suppose a one-liter bottle of water is sold for \100 excluding tax on the market. Then, 1,000 one-liter bottles (one cubic meter) of water would cost \100,000 E,042 times more expensive than the water supplied by the City of Osaka.

 

Why Payment of Water Bills is Required 　

Why Payment of Water Bills is Required

Q
I pay taxes. Why do I have to pay water bills, on top of that? And how are the water rates determined?
A
The water service in Osaka City is provided by a financially-independent local public corporation, which is required to operate efficiently in order to cover all the necessary costs, including the operational costs as well as construction and renovation costs for facilities such as purification plants, by water fee revenues, rather than by tax revenues. We therefore charge water fees to our customers.
Water fee collection, which helps prevent taxes from rising sharply, is based on the principle of burden-sharing by beneficiaries; those who benefit from use of water service must bear the costs.
Meanwhile, water fees are determined by a resolution of the city council under the ordinance. The current water rates have been in effect since June 1997.

 

 

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