Unexpectedly high usage throughout autumn and a construction windfall meant Riverina Water County Council (RWCC) could help residents keep their heads above water.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), Wagga’s average March temperature was 30.6 degrees and April averaged 26.2 degrees, which sparked a surge in watering lawns.

Tenders for the construction of a $35 million water treatment plant to slash Riverina’s reliance on bore water came in under budget and will be finished by November.

RWCC general manager Graeme Haley thanked locals for absorbing years of price rises to keep the taps flowing.

“Prices had been going up 10 per cent per year for a few years in a row and last year they were up 7 per cent,” Mr Haley said.

“Increased water sales this year led to more money in reserve, meaning we don’t need to increase water charges at all.

“We are reducing the 70 per cent of water we get from the aquifers, but the current plant dates back to the early part of last century and can’t handle murky river water.”

The typical residential water bill is $596.