Modest increase to water bills will help fund critical infrastructure investment
28 June 2024
North East Water customers will see a modest increase in water bills for 2024-25, in line with the corporation’s 2018-26 price path approved by the Essential Services Commission.
General Manager Corporate Strategy and Performance, Nicholas Moore, said the average residential customer bill will increase by 0.45% plus inflation, or approximately 79 cents per week.
“The average bill for residential customers using 200KL per year would be $1,080 which remains well below the regional Victorian average,” Mr Moore said.
“North East Water’s 2024-25 tariffs will support the supply of critical water and sewerage services to 118,000 people across 39 towns in our service region.”
Customer bills will also help to fund vital infrastructure upgrades this financial year including:
- A major upgrade to Wodonga’s wastewater treatment plant
- Major sewer infrastructure capacity upgrades in Wangaratta’s north-west and southern growth areas
- Dam safety enhancements in Beechworth
- Construction of a new raw water offtake in Mount Beauty
- Water supply upgrades in Devenish and Goorambat
- Initial planning for new wastewater treatment plants in Beechworth and Bright.
These projects and more aim to ensure water and wastewater security and service reliability in a growing region as well as improved health outcomes, reduced environmental impacts, lower energy costs and climate resilience.
Mr Moore said, “Overall, we’re investing more than $300 million in essential new and upgraded water and wastewater infrastructure across the region during our current 8-year price period, which is a substantial increase from the projected $141 million estimated when prices were determined by our regulator.”
“Following 2026, further significant investment will be needed to upgrade older infrastructure to serve our rapidly growing towns which will be subject to our next price submission community engagement program.”
Mr Moore also emphasised that North East Water recognises some customers may need assistance with their bills. A dedicated support team is ready to assist customers who may be struggling to pay.
"We offer a range of accessible programs and support services to ease any financial pressure,” Mr Moore said.
“These include concession card discounts, access to government relief and rebate schemes, payment extensions and plans, and referrals to financial counselling.
"Supporting customers in financial difficulty is a key priority, and our friendly, local team can be contacted by phone or email.”
Click here for more financial support information or call 1300 361 633. View our 2024-25 tariffs here.