VICTORIANS made a splash as water restrictions were lifted, with the state's usage going up for the first time in five years.

The Essential Services Commission's annual report, released yesterday, showed the average household used 150 kilolitres of water in 2011-12, an increase of 7 kilolitres on the previous year.

The average had been on the slide for the previous four years, but Victorians seemed to enjoy the lifting of restrictions last year.

Consequently, average water bills also increased, up $115 to an average of $885 per year.

The figures show country households used more water than their urban counterparts, with averages of 174 kilolitres and 142 kilolitres  respectively.