Water charge increase proposed

Half full: Managing director of Coliban Water, Damien Wells, said the company is well placed to deal with the challenges of climate change, growing population, and ageing assets. Photo: JONATHON MAGRATH

WATER charges are set to increase as Coliban Water releases its draft pricing plan for the next five years starting.

Starting in July next year, the average household can expect to see a rise of 70¢ per week, with bills predicted to increase by $161 from 2023 to 2028.

Managing director of Coliban Water, Damian Wells, said the price rises will be phased in to reduce “quarterly bill shock.”

“This modest increase will be invested into upgrades and renewals of our assets and supporting customers experiencing vulnerability, while still remaining below the national average water bill,” he said.

“Our customer support programs will be boosted to $570,000 per year to support residential and business customers who may need assistance. Our team is trained to provide confidential advice, support or referral to other services.”

The company will take on additional debt, increasing from $410 million to $650 million, to be paid through future price increases.

Mr Wells said 100 per cent of money used by Coliban comes from customers, and higher water bills help the company deal with the challenges of climate change, population growth and ageing assets.

There has been a 53 per cent reduction in storage inflows over the last 25 years and there is an expected 30 per cent growth in Greater Bendigo population by 2036.

The pricing plan includes a $435 million capital works program for upgrades and renewals of water service assets such as water plants, sewerage treatment facilities and pipe networks.

Coliban manages almost $2 billion of assets, with some pipes that date back to the 1860s.

“The money that our customers pay through their water and sewer bill goes towards infrastructure and services that benefit the entire community and the environment,” Mr Wells said.

“Our infrastructure needs constant attention to remain efficient and meet demand.”

The community draft was developed using public feedback and an independent panel of 32 customers.

The document is open for comment at connect.coliban.com.au/community-draft until the end of July.