2011 - 2012 Water Supply and Sewerage Service Pricing
NEW PRICING FOR 2011/12
Q: What changes will occur?
Unitywater has released its new pricing for 2011/2012 for customers in the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions to reflect the changes announced by the State Government in April. Unitywater’s fixed access and water usage prices will increase by 3.6% (CPI), consistent with recent changes to state legislation. The State Government’s bulk water charge will increase by 16.5% for customers in the Moreton Bay region and 25% for those on the Sunshine Coast in 2011/12. The tables below provide a summary of the household impacts in the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions. The new pricing will apply from 1 July, 2011.
Comparison Tables: Impact of 2011-2012 Customer Pricing
Click on the table to view a larger version.
Q: What are Unitywater’s residential and commercial charges?
Unitywater is one of three distributor-retail entities established by the State Government as part of the government’s wider water reforms announced in 2009. Unitywater is wholly and jointly owned by the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast Regional Councils and commenced operations on 1 July 2010. Unitywater’s charges include fixed access charges for water supply and sewerage services and a charge for water usage. These charges are based on the pricing structure Unitywater inherited from the six former councils in the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions.
Unitywater’s trade waste, recycled water and miscellaneous fees and charges are not affected by the State Government’s changes. Unitywater has taken steps to standardise some prices for these customers and put more emphasis on user-pays in 2011/12.
Q: What is the State Government’s bulk water charge?
The State Government took control of bulk water assets (dams and bulk water infrastructure) and compensated South East Queensland councils for these assets in 2009. The State Government also constructed the $7 billion water grid to provide water security for South East Queensland residents. The State Government’s bulk water charge covers the cost of storing, treating and transporting water and the investment in new water infrastructure. This is the ‘wholesale’ price of water. It is the amount Unitywater pays to the State Government to purchase water to supply to its customers. The price is set by the State Government and passed on to our customers at cost.
Q: Why are the price increases necessary?
Unitywater must invest millions in maintaining, renewing and augmenting essential water supply and sewerage infrastructure across the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast to cater for population growth and meet the State Government’s increasingly stringent environmental conditions.
Increases in Unitywater’s charges are also due to the rising day-to-day costs (such as electricity, chemicals, labour, and environmental controls) associated with supplying safe and reliable drinking water to our customers. This includes the cost of transporting (pumping) and maintaining the quality of the water delivered to homes and businesses, issuing and managing customer accounts and providing a 24-hour emergency response service.
Q: How are the 2011/12 charges calculated?
The price increases follow the formula outlined in the State Government’s legislation. Unitywater’s current charges for residential and commercial customers will increase by the CPI, or 3.6%, in 2011/12. The State Government opted to use the CPI for Brisbane for the March quarter (3.6%) for the 2011/12 price cap and this was included in the legislation.
The CPI increase does not apply to the State Government’s bulk water charge. The Government has previously announced its bulk water charge for customers in the Moreton Bay region will rise by 16.5% in 2011/12 and 25% for customers on the Sunshine Coast.
Q: Will all prices rise from July 1?
Yes, however the prices of water per kilolitre will not increase on July 2011 accounts. This account will record water used before 1 July 2011 and therefore the 2010/11 financial year prices will apply. The 3.6% increase in Unitywater’s fixed access charges for water supply and sewerage services will apply to your July 2011 account. This is consistent with the State Government’s decision to cap Local Government retailer-distributor (Unitywater) residential and small business price rises at CPI for the next two years, starting from 1 July 2011.
Q: What will happen with the rebate in Moreton Bay?
Moreton Bay Regional Council has announced it will continue to provide a 50% subsidy on access charge increases for Unitywater customers in the Moreton Bay region in 2011/12.
Q: What incentive is there to conserve water?
Conserving water will benefit both the individual and the wider community. The State Government’s bulk water charge is a consumption-based charge, so the more you use the more you pay. Unitywater also charges its customers for water usage, and we advise our customers to adopt water wise habits to save money and the environment.
Widespread water conservation also reduces the pressure on the water supply and sewerage network, delaying the need to spend many millions on constructing and upgrading local infrastructure and ultimately keeping costs down for our customers.
Q: How will the price cap affect Unitywater’s capital works program?
The State Government’s decision to cap Local Government retailer-distributor (Unitywater) price rises at CPI does not negate the need for significant investment in critical capital works. Many of the Sunshine Coast’s sewage treatment plants are currently operating at or beyond their design capacity and have been doing so for a number of years. This is posing a threat to the environment and local waterways that must be urgently addressed. Unitywater will borrow to fund essential infrastructure and determine the price path to recover the cost over the life of the assets.
Moreton Bay complete 2011/12pricing schedule (PDF)
Sunshine Coast complete 2011/12 pricing schedule (PDF)
Pricing Comparison Tables 2011/12 (PDF)
Moreton Bay Media Release
Sunshine Coast Media Release