IPART is reviewing the maximum prices that WaterNSW can charge for its bulk water, raw water and unfiltered water services in the Greater Sydney area.
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.
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.
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.
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 in September 2025.