Goulburn-Murray Water today released the first in a series of discussion papers to help inform the development of its 3 year Water Plan which commences July 2013.
The Water Plan is the mechanism for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or Essential Services Commission to approve water corporations‟ revenue and pricing.
Gavin Hanlon, G-MW Managing Director said the organisation has produced 4 separate consultation brochures for its customer groups in this first series including:
- Irrigation District customers
- Bulk water customers and headworks users
- Water District customers and Loch Garry and
- Licensed Diverters
"These consultation brochures outline proposed levels of service, capital expenditure, cost saving measures and the projected amount of income required to deliver the recommendations," Mr Hanlon said.
"The second discussion paper in the series, to be released in July, with be focused on the design of our tariff system," Mr Hanlon said.
"We have asked our Water Services Committee Chairs to guide the development of a new tariff strategy for the longer term and help inform our final Water Plan," Mr Hanlon said.
The final in the series, scheduled for late September, will be our Water Plan with proposed pricing.
"Finalising pricing will be dependent on the feedback from the first discussion paper and finalisation of our tariff review," Mr Hanlon said.
Key points about the first discussion papers:
* Recommends that revenue be capped at CPI plus 1.5% annually.
* To achieve this, recommending a $6 million efficiency saving from within G-MW over the three year term of the Water Plan, as a "productivity dividend‟.
* A reduction in G-MW operational staff in the coming years by 25%, recognising that the full benefits of modernisation of G-MW‟s infrastructure cannot be achieved until the project is complete. It is anticipated that this reduction will occur through attrition
* Continue to realise savings associated with the integration of NVIRP into G-MW effective 1 July 2012
"The outcomes of the proposed Murray-Darling Basin Plan are still unknown at this stage and this has the potential to impact on what our Water Plan may look like," Mr Hanlon said.
Copies of G-MW‟s 4 Water Plan consultation brochures are available online at www.g-mwater.com.au/water-plan-3 or visit your local G-MW Customer Service Centre to pick up a copy.
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Media Contact: Sheree Fitzgerald
Position: A/Manager Stakeholder Relations
Telephone: (03) 5826 3754 or 0408 350 756