Affordable water is a particularly critical issue for the communities in and around Broken Hill. The water provider needs to make critical investments to renew and improve water reliability and quality, but these will significantly impact water affordability, particularly for those already experiencing disadvantage.
That’s why we’re advocating for more water service affordability measures and a comprehensive review of how water infrastructure investment is identified and paid for across NSW, in our response to IPART’s Essential Water and the Murray River to Broken Hill Pipeline Review. Our recommendations include:
- A smoothed introduction of any bill increases;
- ensuring mining entities pay the cost of dust mitigation water costs;
- changes to water pricing structures for mining entities, to incentivise more efficient water usage;
- examining the impact on households of increasing fixed charges as a method of cost recovery, and;
- enhancing water affordability including consistent upgrades to water rebate support across NSW, support to improve efficient usage at home and reviewing payment assistance policies.
What’s next?
We’ve recently engaged in similar processes involving Sydney Water, Hunter Water and Central Coast Council Water and will continue working with IPART, DCCEEW and other stakeholders to promote more comprehensive reforms to support water affordability for all NSW households beyond this decision.
