CHANGES to Southern Downs rates notices have met with heavy criticism from ratepayers.

Southern Downs Regional Council announced on Tuesday morning it would shift the water and wastewater access charges off the annual rates notice and instead combine them with the water consumption charge to make a new utility notice.

The new notice will be issued six-monthly and each will account for half the annual water and waste water access charge.

SDRC said the changes would help relieve residents of the financial burden of paying one big bill when rates notices are released next month.

But ratepayers have said the move seems to be all "smoke and mirrors" and would make no difference to how much they are paying.

Warwick resident Christie Russell said the decision to make the new utility charge payable twice a year in April and October would actually increase the burden on ratepayers.

"We've gotten used to having to pay that much money at rates time, we try to put away money for that big one," Mrs Russell said.

"As it's around tax time we can use some of the money we get from from our tax returns to pay them off if we haven't already within the discount period.

"I would rather be paying it off once a year as I think it's going to make it harder to be able to save for quite a sizeable bill three times a year."

Facebook users said despite being split into a twice-yearly payment, the changes would still culminate into one larger bill.

"Instead of firing a huge bullet into your face, they have just divided it into smaller pieces and they will just shoot you simultaneously," Vicente Palmiano Borol said.

"Conclusion, still the same huge bill."

"It's just spreading the payments out over the year, no reprieval in rates at all," Michelle Fay said.

"It feels like smoke and mirrors but I'll reserve judgment until I've been through their new system," Yvette Taffe said.

"They have an agenda; most likely the consumer won't realise how much of an increase if it's over several bills throughout the year," Matthew Domjahn said.

But Mayor Tracy Dobie has assured the changes to when the water usage charges were billed would not increase the total amount paid.

Cr Dobie said the 7.5% discount on rates paid up front would not be applied to the utility notices.

"The discount has only applied to general rates and never to water and wastewater charges," she said.

"Residents won't pay more than what they have paid before - what is happening is there's one water access charge per year and then there are the usage charge that will now be charged twice a year.

"So rather than paying in one lump sum once a year they will be paying twice a year and this has been aimed at making it easier for people connected to town water, rather than more difficult."

Southern Downs Residents Action Group secretary Andrew Gale said changing when notices were issued did not make the expected 3.4% rise in overall rates any easier to swallow.

"This bumping charges onto the water notice is just smoke and mirrors," Mr Gale said.

"I look at the cost of things annually, so they can split it up anyway you want, you still have to pay it.

"If you have to eat a lemon, it doesn't matter if it's cut into six bits or 10; it still adds up the same at the end and nothing can make that sweeter."

This year's rates notices are expected to be issued from July 19.