IPART has released draft maximum prices Central Coast Council (CCC Water) can charge for water, wastewater and related services from 1 July 2026.
IPART Chair Carmel Donnelly said the IPART’s draft decisions would allow the annual bill for typical household using 170 kilolitres per year to increase by 8.7% plus inflation in 2026-27 followed by increases by inflation only in each of the next 4 years.
Under the draft decisions, bills for a typical household customer receiving water and wastewater services would increase by $129 to $1,612 in 2026-27 before estimated inflation. However, bill impacts will vary depending on household type and water use.
“The Tribunal considered a range of matters in setting the draft maximum prices including social impacts, the cost of providing water and wastewater services, standards of quality, reliability and safety, and more,” Ms Donnelly said.
“We know that many households and businesses are dealing with cost-of-living pressures, and affordability was a key theme in the feedback we received on our issues paper and from our public hearing.
“The Tribunal aims to balance customers’ affordability concerns with the need to set prices so CCC Water can efficiently invest in infrastructure and services to deliver services that meet customer needs and expectations in the future.
“These prices are draft only and IPART will continue to work through issues raised in this review as we make the final price decisions. We will take into account important updated information we are seeking from Central Coast Council on the amount of CCC Water funds available that could offset price increases and also CCC Water’s capacity to efficiently deliver infrastructure works to improve service quality in the next 5 years.
“We are keen to hear from customers of CCC Water, whether they are households or businesses. The Tribunal’s final decisions on water related prices will consider all feedback from customers and stakeholders.”
IPART’s draft report and ways to have your say are available on IPART’s website. Stakeholder feedback is welcome via submission or customer survey on or before 1 May 2026.
IPART will publish a final report with final pricing decisions in June 2026. The prices set in this review will apply to customers from 1 July 2026. IPART is separately reviewing an application by Central Coast Council for a special rate variation to increase its general income from rates above the annual rate peg and will publish a decision on that application in June 2026.
Media Contact: Hannah Short
0427 105 865