We have published our Information Paper
We have released an Information Paper setting out our draft decisions on the maximum prices WaterNSW charge for its bulk water, raw and unfiltered water services in the Greater Sydney area, and for its rural bulk water services.
The Tribunal is not convinced at this stage that the full increases proposed by WaterNSW are sufficiently well justified.
As a result, IPART proposes shorter-term (3-year) determinations for both the WaterNSW Greater Sydney and Rural Valleys price reviews to allow WaterNSW to continue providing its bulk water services while more work is done to assess its proposed levels of expenditure.
In reaching our draft decisions, we have taken a range of factors into account including all feedback received from stakeholders at our Public Hearing and through submissions to our Issues Paper, and independent experts’ reviews.
While IPART will work to continue its assessment of WaterNSW’s pricing proposal, that may not be enough to address some broader issues arising from this review. IPART considers that 3-year determinations would allow time for WaterNSW and the NSW Government to consider these broader challenges and to refine plans, costings and service delivery priorities in consultation with customers and other key stakeholders. IPART stands ready to support these processes.
WaterNSW Greater Sydney
Under our draft decisions prices for WaterNSW Greater Sydney customers would increase by 6.9% plus inflation from 1 October 2025, and then by inflation only on 1 July 2026, and 1 July 2027. This includes WaterNSW’s proposed costs for the Dams Safety Levy, crane and electrical safety expenditure and capital expenditure for the Warragamba Dam Resilience project.
We propose to carry forward all other decisions from our 2020 WaterNSW Greater Sydney price review, other than updating forecast water sales volumes.
WaterNSW Rural Valleys
Under our draft decisions prices for WaterNSW Rural Valleys customers would increase by 1.9% plus inflation from 1 July 2025, and then by inflation only on 1 July 2026 and 1 July 2027. This includes WaterNSW’s proposed costs for the Dams Safety Levy, crane and electrical safety expenditure.
We propose to carry forward all other decisions from our 2021 WaterNSW Rural Valleys price review, other than updating forecast water sales volumes.
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 Information Paper by 3 June 2025.
We will consider all stakeholder views before reaching our final decisions.
- For the WaterNSW Rural Valleys price review we will release our Final Report in June 2025 and new prices will apply from 1 July 2025.
- For the WaterNSW Greater Sydney price review we will release our Final Report in September 2025 and new prices will apply from 1 October 2025.