In 2025 and 2026, IPART completed its review of the maximum process that WAMC* can charge for customers for water planning, management and regulation services, and WaterNSW can charge for rural bulk water services. (*WAMC stands for Water Administration Ministerial Corporation and is comprised of functions within DCCEEW, NRAR and WaterNSW).
WAMC’s water management charges will increase by up to 5% per year plus inflation over the next four years from 1 October 2025 until 30 June 2029. WaterNSW’s bulk water charges will increase by up to 10% per year plus inflation over the next four years, from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2030. These price increases do not include inflation and are compounded, meaning the worst hit valleys will see price increases of over 50% by 2030.
Given the significant increases under this determination, IPART have recommended a Government-led review into the long-term future of regional and rural water services.
NSW Irrigators’ Council are disappointed that IPART have largely ignored the many concerns raised during the consultation stage of these reviews. NSWIC and its membership lodged comprehensive submissions that raised concerns relating to the scale of proposed increases, agency budget blowouts, declining service delivery, and the unfair cost-sharing model.
The outcome of these reviews place additional financial stress on farmers already doing it tough with pressure from surging input costs, high interest and the impact of flooding and drought. IPART itself has called the WaterNSW price increases “unaffordable” and acknowledged it may lead to farm exits. Many irrigation farmers across New South Wales say they cannot absorb further increases in production costs, and consider that WaterNSW’s financial position has been prioritised over the capacity of farming businesses and regional communities to pay.
The determination clearly shows the need for the NSW Government to urgently reform the flawed pricing model and corporate structure driving unaffordable hikes in rural water bills over the last 10 years.
The next WAMC pricing review is expected to take place in late 2028, and the next WaterNSW pricing review in late 2029. NSWIC is calling for the Government-led review to be completed well before the agencies start work on their next pricing determinations.
