Provision of drinking water
All licensed premises in Queensland are required by law to provide drinking water to their patrons for free or at a reasonable cost.
The Liquor Regulation 2002 has been amended to include a requirement for licensees to make drinking water available to patrons free of charge or at a reasonable cost. For example, a glass of tap water should not cost more than a glass of soft drink.
This amendment has been made in response to concerns raised by the community about the lack of freely available drinking water in some licensed premises.
Under the Liquor Act licensees are required to engage in practices and promotions that encourage the responsible consumption of liquor and to provide a safe environment for patrons. Making drinking water available to patrons is the responsibility of every licensee and is essential to minimising harm and intoxication.
Licensees can decide whether to provide drinking water free of charge, by request or for sale in bottled form as a precaution against drink spiking.
On 6 June 2006 all licensees currently trading beyond 3:00am under the authority of an extended hours permit were informed of the Chief Executive's intention to endorse the condition on their licences and were given 14 days to provide comment/objections to that condition.
Licensees breaching their conditions may face disciplinary action that may result in hefty fines or the loss of licence.
Penalties for non-compliance
If a licensee is identified as charging an unreasonable amount for drinking water they risk a maximum penalty of $10,000 for individuals or $50,000 for corporations.
For more information, download the fact sheet from the Fact Sheet section of the Publications and Resources pages.
Last reviewed 20 November 2009
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