Coliban Water is heading into its fifth and final year of the current pricing determination, which was submitted to the Victorian Essential Services Commission (ESC) in 2017, and has met its commitment during this period to keep prices lower than inflation.
Coliban Water is preparing for major investment in its community infrastructure to cater for the region’s growing population and changing climate.
As a customer funded business, changes to fees and charges for the 2022/23 financial year from Thursday 1 July 2022 will go directly towards this investment.
Managing Director, Damian Wells, said while most customers will notice an increase of around 3 percent, the changes are still well below inflation.
“Our prices have been steady or decreasing for several years now. Our built structures, some dating back to the goldrush, are aging and a major program of upgrades and renewal must be funded and delivered in a way that allows us to prepare for tomorrow, while being fair to customers today,” said Mr Wells.
“We have engaged with residential and business customers, community groups and other stakeholders, to ensure our new pricing plan for 2023 to 2028 continues to reflect community expectations, while allowing us to upgrade and renew our infrastructure to meet the needs of our growing region.
“The ESC’s role as a water industry regulator is to review our price submission every five-years to ensure pricing, service levels and works programs are justified, and costs and charges are fair,” said Mr Wells.
“Our fees and charges are in place to recover the costs of providing services, including investment in infrastructure, to provide the standard of service our customers expect and value.
“Feedback from customers and the community shows our focus on climate resilience, water security, complying with regulations, and catering for population growth is something they share.
“We are aware of growing interest in regional living. We want to make sure we make the right investments in water services so our communities continue to be great places to live, work and do business,” said Mr Wells.
As the new prices take effect, Coliban Water will continue to offer a range of support measures for those who may face payment difficulties.
“We are here to help our customers. If you have a short or long-term concern about your ability to pay your bill, please get in touch with us to discuss your options. Our staff are friendly, respectful and confidential,” Mr Wells added.
For more information on the new 2022/23 fees and charges, visit our website coliban.com.au, which includes a residential pricing estimator, or call our Customer Support Team on 1300 363 200.