Improving the reliability of water supply in regional and rural NSW
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal has released its Final Report on rural bulk water prices in NSW.
Our decisions are aimed at supporting the long-term security of water entitlements and reliability of water supply in regional and rural NSW.
Increases in expenditure are needed to provide a sustainable water supply in areas that are particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change.
The report sets out our decisions on the maximum prices that Water NSW can charge for rural bulk water supply services from 1 October 2021 to 30 June 2025.
Water NSW rural bulk water prices will vary by valley and will increase by about 30% on average, before inflation, in 2021-22. These prices will then increase by inflation only.
These price increases will help sustain the effort to manage resources and maintain dams and other infrastructure effectively for the long-term benefit of water users.
We are mindful of how these increases may impact customers and the broader community. We consider prices are reasonable given these are in line with prices in other jurisdictions.
Water NSW will also introduce new charges to implement the NSW Government’s metering reforms over the next 4 years.
These new charges are needed to recover the efficient costs of Water NSW’s metering program. This will support the long-term sustainability of water resources in NSW, which is in the interests of all water users.
The prices set by IPART will apply from 1 October 2021.
To access valley-specific information on our pricing decisions and drivers of price changes, please select a valley on the map below.