Water tanks running dry

RESIDENTS relying on water tanks are feeling the pinch of the extremely dry conditions - all the way to their purse pockets.

Rosedale woman Miranda Maszlik rang three water cartage businesses to get quotes to refill her bone-dry 12,000L tank, and said she was shocked to receive three very varying quotes, with one $100 more than the cheapest option.

Ms Maszlik said the cheapest tank refill was $260 with C&M Water Cartage.

"The gentleman in Kolan was going to charge me $360," she said.

Ms Maszlik said she did not understand why there would be such a discrepancy in the pricing.

"They get the water from the same place," she said.

"There should be some rules and regulations there."

But Kolan Transport Services owner Jo Macdonald said the reason the quote was higher than the others was because the business used a 20,000L tank for water cartage, while others only used 12,000L vehicles.

"Everybody has their prices evaluated to the litres they carry and the kilometres that they go," she said.

Talia Collin, from Rain Man Domestic Water which quoted Ms Maszlik $300 for the water supply, said it was up to the business what price they charged.

"We work out our prices from the distance, not litres," she said.

Mrs Collin said water cartage businesses right across Bundaberg were under the pump trying to keep up with the demand.

"It's so dry at the moment and we've got three trucks running and we can't keep up," she said.

C&M Water Cartage said the cost of the water was also in the delivery.


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