Water rates are set to rise by just over 14 per cent on the Central Coast from July 1, with an average increase of $169 per annum predicted.
While Central Coast Council Administrator Rik Hart explained at the May 23 meeting that the rise was in keeping with the four-year determination handed down by IPART in 2022, community activists are not happy, claiming a continuing deterioration of services and a rise in water quality complaints.
Hart told the meeting that the rise comprised seven per cent as approved by IPART and a rise of just over seven per cent in the CPI (Consumer Price Index).
In addressing concerns raised by speaker Norm Harris at the May 22 public forum, Director of Water and Sewer Jamie Loader said the determination of water, wastewater and stormwater drainage charges for 2023-24, which was subsequently adopted by Hart, was not a performance update, with that information to be provided in the Operational Plan in June.
However, he did point out that since July last year 20km of sewer mains have been upgraded and 5km of water mains replaced throughout the region.
He said next year’s $80M capital works program would see upgrades of treatment plants at Mardi, Charmhaven and Gwandalan and that current water and sewer upgrades currently underway to “future proof” Gosford were grant funded and not financed by Council.
He said in keeping with Council’s plan to ensure adequate water supply until 2050, $2M of a $9M water security allocation as determined by IPART over four years would be spent in the next financial year on water security measures.
Community activist Kevin Brooks said the 14.13 per cent hike in rates, which follows a 17 per cent rise last July, was unwelcome news for ratepayers already facing cost of living pressures.
“Despite these massive rate hikes, Council services continue to deteriorate,”
Kevin Brooks
“At the same meeting where the latest increase was approved, Council reported some shocking performance results.
“Complaints about water quality are running 28 per cent above target with more than one in 100 households making formal complaints.
“And 14.6 properties per 100 have faced unplanned service interruptions – 27 per cent worse than target.
“These are sharp declines in performance despite this year’s rate hike.”
Brooks said the Central Coast remained the lowest ranked water utility in IPART’s customer satisfaction survey published this month.
“Overall satisfaction has declined 10 per cent from an already low base since Rik Hart was appointed Administrator and David Farmer CEO,” he said.
“This shows that throwing more ratepayers’ money at poorly managed and inefficient organisations doesn’t necessarily lead to improved performance.”
Brooks said IPART had made it clear in its four-year determination that the increase was approved so it could lead to improved services.
“There has been no improvement in Central Coast overall satisfaction since the water rate took effect in July 2022,” he said.
“Administrator Rik Hart and CEO David Farmer have still not addressed Council’s past and continuing performance issues caused by poor management, bad culture, low productivity and inefficiency.
“Our community is fed up with paying higher rates for worse services.
“It is time to restore local democracy so that Council senior managers are accountable for their performance and responsive to the community they are supposed to serve.”
Terry Collins