IPART
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) will be in Newcastle on Tuesday 19 November 2019 to seek community views about the prices Hunter Water is proposing to charge for its water, wastewater, stormwater and related services from 1 July 2020.
Hunter Water is proposing to increase expenditure over the next five years, with further increases possible if the drought continues, based on a supplementary submission received by IPART from Hunter Water on 6 November. The increase would place upwards pressure on prices over time.
IPART Acting Chair, Ms Deborah Cope, said the public hearing is an important part of IPART's community consultation in its review of Hunter Water's proposed prices, before a draft determination is made in March 2020.
"Hunter Water has proposed increases in capital expenditure, operating expenditure and depreciation costs, as well as funding to continue water conservation initiatives and reduce leakage," Ms Cope said.
"While low interest rates mean those impacts wouldn't be immediately felt, there would be bill impacts if interest rates rise again in the future.
"We are interested in hearing what people in the Hunter region think about these proposals, and also the Hunter community's views on the water, wastewater and stormwater services they receive and proposals to tackle the drought."
The public hearing will run from 10am to 2.30pm. Hunter Water will present its proposal and IPART will provide the opportunity for questions and issues to be raised from the public.
Public feedback is a vital part of the IPART process. To ensure that business and community customers can provide input, a drop-in session between 2.30pm and 7pm will be held to enable stakeholders to
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