Upper Ovens Licence Renewal Customer Focus Group
GMW has established a Customer Focus Group to assist in the discussions and feedback on Upper Ovens Licence Renewals. The Focus Group will not make decisions on behalf of other customers. Its role is to discuss and provide feedback on proposals put forward by the GMW project team, prior to taking them to the broader Upper Ovens customer group for feedback.
The first meeting was held on Thursday 10 September - download a copy of the meeting notes.
The next meeting will be held Thursday 26 November 2020.
For more information please email communications@gmwater.com.au or call the GMW Contact Centre on 1800 013 357.
Change to the 2020 licence renewal process
In response to this customer feedback in June, we have made some changes to this year’s renewal process:
- For those who have not paid – we have extended the payment due date on this fee by one full year, to 30 June 2021.
- For those who have already paid - In recognition that this has been a difficult year, you may access a full refund of the renewal fee paid to ease any short term financial pressure. The full renewal fee will then become payable by 30 June 2021.
Resources
Annual fixed charges and licence renewal fee comparison
| |
Unregulated Diverters' and Groundwater Annual Fixed Charges |
Licence Renewal Fee |
| Timing |
July each year |
Prior to licence expiry (in the case of Upper Ovens WSPA diverters every 5 years). |
| Fees |
Service Fee: $119/account
Service Point Fee - Unmetered: $144 each
Service Point Fee - Metered (excluding D&S): $374 each
Access Fee:
- Unregulated Diverters - $76 each
- Groundwater - $134 each
Resource Management Fee:
- Unregulated Diverters - $2.96 per ML
- Groundwater - $4.06 per ML
|
Initial comprehensive renewal including property inspection ($700).
GMW is investigating a five-yearly Administrative Renewal to be undertaken at the intervening five and ten years end of licence tenure period.
|
| Fee description |
Service Fee: A share of the total cost of keeping records, managing accounts and maintaining and improving GMW's accounts system.
Service Point Fee: The cost of compliance monitoring, measuring use and meters at each diversion site (also known as a service point).
Access Fee: The cost of ensuring water is accessed in line with management rules and plans. The access fee includes managing allocations, rosters, restrictions and water ordering.
GMW is moving away from charging the Access Fee on the basis of megalitres a diverter users, and moving towards charging based on the number of service points a diverter has. By July 2019, the Access Fee will be chargefd solely on the number of service points a diverter has.
Resource Management Fee: For groundwater and unregulated surface water diverters, the resource management fee contributes to the cost of developing and reviewing resource management plans.
It helps to ensure essential information such as water sharing arrangements, resource caps, trading rules and water resource monitoring is up to date and readily available.
|
The licence renewal fee is associated only with the administration, processing of the application and property inspection for the associated licence.
The fee is the costs associated with the property inspection (as well as administration and licencing processing cost) to ensure individual licence holders are compliant with licence and works conditions to ensure the overall sustainability of the water resource for all users.
The inspection confirms the licence conditions:
- Section 51 Licence to Take & Use Water
- Compliance with existing licence conditions confirmed
- Licence description confirmed
- Extraction point details confirmed
- Land on which the water may be used confirmed
- Section 67 Licence to Operate Works
- Compliance with existing licence conditions confirmed
- Description of Licenced Works confirmed
- Description of Licenced Works (type of pump) confirmed
- Land on which works are located confirmed
- Section 40 and other matters to be considered
|
Diversions typical customer bill
| GROUNDWATER |
| |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
$ Change |
% Change |
| Small |
$576 |
$478 |
-$97 |
-17% |
| Medium |
$1,523 |
$1,137 |
-$205 |
-13% |
| Large |
$3,100 |
$2,657 |
-$443 |
-14% |
| Extra Large |
$6,080 |
$5,195 |
-$885 |
-15% |
| SURFACE WATER UNREGULATED |
| |
2019/20 |
2020/21 |
$ Change |
% Change |
| Small |
$407 |
$345 |
-$62 |
-15% |
| Medium |
$766 |
$687 |
-$78 |
-10% |
| Large |
$1,206 |
$1,072 |
-$134 |
-11% |
| Extra Large |
$2,835 |
$2,499 |
-$336 |
-12% |
For information on the Upper Ovens Water Supply Protection Area click here.
If you have any questions about Upper Ovens Water Supply Protection Area licence renewals please contact:
- Stephen Gemmill, Diversions Services East Manager - (03) 5723 3230
- Peter Clydesdale, Manager Diversions - (03) 5826 3467, or
- Fabian McCloy, Manager Customer Experience - (03) 5826 3871