Water prices up 10 percent in Brisbane, Ipswich and Lockyer Valley
WATER prices in Brisbane, Ipswich, and Lockyer Valley will jump by more than $100 a year or about 10.7 per cent on average.
Water retailer Queensland Urban Utilities said about half the price hike was due to increases in bulk water charges levied by the State Government.
The council-owned company is also embarking on a $3.2 billion capital works program to cater for population growth.
It said water and sewerage for households using 149 kilolitres of water a year in the Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset areas would increase by an average 10.7% or $26.77 per quarter, from $1005 last year to $1112 in 2010/11.
More than one million residents will cop the rises from July 1.
The new supplier, set up under state water industry reforms, said almost half of the rise was because of the increased cost of buying bulk water from the Queensland government-owned water grid.
This was driven by the government's $9 billion investment in the water grid and other reforms to enhance the region's water security, the company said.
Its chief executive Noel Faulkner acknowledged price increases were "unpalatable" at any time, but value for money would be gained through investing in the maintenance and expansion of infrastructure.
Premier Anna Bligh said the government made no profit in its bulk water pricing and would look into water costs for every southeast Queensland council to ensure fairness.
"I certainly don't believe that there should be any significant profiteering being done out of retailing of water by councils," she told reporters.
"So we'll be having a very long, hard look at water pricing by council retailers and if they are profiteering at an extraordinarily high rate we'll be certainly making that public."
Brisbane City Council's finance chairman Adrian Schrinner said the state government and its regional water grid was to blame for the price rises.
"This is just another State Government botched reform that is costing people more money," he said.
Opposition water spokesman Jeff Seeney said the government had not planned its water grid well.
"Billions of dollars were squandered on pathetically planned and rushed infrastructure, much of which is now under-utilised, lying idle or de-commissioned, and it is southeast Queenslanders who have to pick up the bill for the mess," he said.
Under the reforms, the Queensland Competition Authority will monitor pricing.
- by Craig Johnstone
- From: The Courier-Mail
- June 28, 2010 2:32PM
WATER prices in Brisbane, Ipswich, and Lockyer Valley will jump by more than $100 a year or about 10.7 per cent on average.
Water retailer Queensland Urban Utilities said about half the price hike was due to increases in bulk water charges levied by the State Government.
The council-owned company is also embarking on a $3.2 billion capital works program to cater for population growth.
It said water and sewerage for households using 149 kilolitres of water a year in the Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset areas would increase by an average 10.7% or $26.77 per quarter, from $1005 last year to $1112 in 2010/11.
More than one million residents will cop the rises from July 1.
The new supplier, set up under state water industry reforms, said almost half of the rise was because of the increased cost of buying bulk water from the Queensland government-owned water grid.
This was driven by the government's $9 billion investment in the water grid and other reforms to enhance the region's water security, the company said.
Its chief executive Noel Faulkner acknowledged price increases were "unpalatable" at any time, but value for money would be gained through investing in the maintenance and expansion of infrastructure.
Premier Anna Bligh said the government made no profit in its bulk water pricing and would look into water costs for every southeast Queensland council to ensure fairness.
"I certainly don't believe that there should be any significant profiteering being done out of retailing of water by councils," she told reporters.
"So we'll be having a very long, hard look at water pricing by council retailers and if they are profiteering at an extraordinarily high rate we'll be certainly making that public."
Brisbane City Council's finance chairman Adrian Schrinner said the state government and its regional water grid was to blame for the price rises.
"This is just another State Government botched reform that is costing people more money," he said.
Opposition water spokesman Jeff Seeney said the government had not planned its water grid well.
"Billions of dollars were squandered on pathetically planned and rushed infrastructure, much of which is now under-utilised, lying idle or de-commissioned, and it is southeast Queenslanders who have to pick up the bill for the mess," he said.
Under the reforms, the Queensland Competition Authority will monitor pricing.