Water charges to remain some of the most affordable in the state

Jul 01, 2021

A typical residential water bill will increase by just $9 this year, while access charges will remain unchanged for the third year in a row.

Riverina Water’s financial plan for 2021-22 was endorsed at the June Ordinary Meeting, with the Board committed to keeping water costs affordable for the county council’s 73,000 residents.

There was also good news for industry, with developer charges frozen and forecast to reduce in the coming years.

“Residents and businesses across the southern Riverina will continue to benefit from some of the most affordable drinking water charges and fees in the state,” Riverina Water Chairperson, Councillor Greg Verdon, said.

“Usage charges will increase by a modest 1.8 per cent, while the access charge remains at $160 for the third year in a row.

“And by keeping developer costs at a minimum we can foster growth across our supply area.”

The advantage of a low, fixed access charge is that customers know the upfront cost and can manage their water usage to have greater control over their bill.

Along with keeping costs at a minimum, Riverina Water is preparing for another busy year renewing its water supply network with a capital works budget of $23.8M.

Almost $5M has been committed to renewing water mains and system improvements, while $4.19M will be spent on improving treatment plants and $1.36M for reservoirs.