Did you know your water, sewer and stormwater prices are set by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, also known as IPART?

On 10 September 2021 Council submitted a draft pricing proposal to IPART for its water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices from 1 July 2022.

During IPART's review on water, sewerage and stormwater prices for the Central Coast, there were several opportunities for you to have your say:

• Between 28 September and 1 November 2021, IPART placed Council’s pricing proposal and IPART’s Issues Paper on public exhibition. Throughout the exhibition the community were invited to view the prepared documents, provide submissions to IPART and participate in a public hearing.
• Between 15 March and 14 April 2022, IPART placed the Draft Report and Determination on public exhibition. Throughout the exhibition the key considerations during the exhibition were:
  • The combined yearly bill for a typical household would increase by around $200 on 1 July 2022. The bill would then increase by around $49 per year, before inflation, until 2025-26.
  • Price increases would be phased in over the next four years to give customers more time to manage the impact.
  • IPART has carefully balanced customer concerns about price increases with the need to ensure Council has enough funding to improve its delivery and network operations and maintain its assets.

Further information is available on IPART’s website.

Yes. On 24 May 2022, IPART released its Final Report and Determination on water, sewerage and stormwater drainage pricing for the Central Coast, returning rates to levels that can see Council better maintain its vast water and sewer operations.

IPART announced it would stagger the rate changes from 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2026 to allow customers more time to manage the impacts on their bills, which was requested within the community feedback during consultation.

The pricing determination will see the combined yearly bill for a typical household increase by the following increments, plus inflation:

• 17 percent on 1 July 2022 ($183 increase)
• 6 percent in 2023-24 ($80 increase)
• 8 percent in 2024-25 ($106 increase)
• 1 percent in 2025-26 ($9 increase)

Council was required to prepare and lodge its submission on water, sewer and stormwater prices in September 2021.Due to the length of the current determination period of 3 years set by IPART it has come around a year earlier– it was not brought forward in line with Council's application to IPART for a Special Variation on rates.