After considering feedback to the May 2025 Information Paper, we have now released a Draft Report setting out our draft decisions on the maximum prices WaterNSW can charge for its bulk water, raw and unfiltered water services in the Greater Sydney area. These draft decisions supersede earlier ones in our May 2025 Information Paper.
WaterNSW’s Greater Sydney business supplies bulk, raw and unfiltered water to Sydney Water Corporation, Wingecarribee Shire Council, Shoalhaven City Council and Goulburn Mulwaree Council and also provides raw and unfiltered bulk water to a number of other customers.
Under our draft decisions, prices for WaterNSW’s Greater Sydney bulk water customers would increase by around 10.4% per year before inflation, over the proposed 3-year determination period.
For a typical Sydney Water residential customer, this would add about $7 to bills in 2025-26, $20 to bills in 2026-27 and $31 to bills in 2027-28 before inflation.
In reaching our draft decisions, we considered expert advice from Aither and AtkinsRéalis on WaterNSW’s efficient capital and operating expenditure for its Greater Sydney business. We also considered all feedback we received from stakeholders and our legislative responsibilities.
Our draft decisions recognise that higher expenditure is needed for WaterNSW to efficiently meet its legislative and regulatory obligations. However, the Tribunal is not yet fully convinced about WaterNSW’s proposed costs, particularly beyond the 3-year horizon. For this reason, we have made a draft decision to set a short-term determination for 3 years.
We want to hear from you
We are seeking stakeholder views on our draft decisions and invite all stakeholders to make a submission to our Draft Report by 25 August 2025.
We will consider all stakeholder views before reaching our final decisions. We will release our Final Report in September 2025 and new prices will apply from 1 October 2025.