IPART has set the maximum prices Essential Water can charge for water and wastewater services in the Broken Hill region from 1 July 2026.
Tribunal member Jonathan Coppel said the Tribunal has approved maximum prices that generate the revenue Essential Water collects from customers. This revenue, together with our recommended contribution from the NSW Government, covers the efficient costs it should incur for services to remain safe and reliable into the future.
“We heard clearly from customers that affordability is a major concern,” he said.
“We’ve set prices lower than what Essential Water proposed, and capped residential bill increases below full cost recovery to help protect households during ongoing cost-of-living pressures.”
Under IPART’s decisions, the typical household customer bill (250kL usage) of $1,624 in 2025-26 will increase by:
- $145 (8.9%) to $1,769 in 2026-27 including inflation
- an average of $89 (4.7%) each subsequent year to $2,125 by 2030-31 (plus inflation from 2027-28).
IPART has also set maximum prices that WaterNSW can charge for bulk water transportation via the Murray River to Broken Hill Pipeline. Mr Coppel said while pipeline charges to Essential Water will increase, prices are set on the assumption that these costs are funded by the NSW Government, and so are not passed on to Essential Water customers, although they may impact a small number of other pipeline users.
“Government support for pipeline charges plays an important role in keeping prices for Essential Water customers lower than they would otherwise need to be,” Mr Coppel said.
The cost of the Murray River to Broken Hill pipeline and our decision to cap residential prices below full cost recovery levels result in the equivalent of $169.5 million in NSW Government support over the 5-year determination period.
IPART’s final reports on Essential Water and WaterNSW’s maximum prices in the Broken Hill region are available from www.ipart.nsw.gov.au.
Media Contact: Mark O’Brien
0427 105 865