The NSW Government has passed a Bill through Parliament simplifying the operation of the Central Coast’s water supply and sewerage services and protecting it against privatisation.
Until now, Central Coast Council was the only local body in NSW providing water services under two legislative Acts.
The government says the Water Management Amendment (Central Coast Council) Bill 2024 removes the regulatory double-up and complexity, paving the way for better governance.
The legislative changes provide a streamlined regulatory framework for incoming councillors while reducing costs and freeing Council up to perform its core role of providing essential services for the region.
It will also help resolve some of the complexity that contributed to the Council being placed in administration in October 2020.
Central Coast is the third largest water utility in the state after Sydney Water and Hunter Water.
This will bring Council’s provision and regulation of water supply and sewerage services in line with all other local governments across regional NSW.
The Bill retains Council’s control of water services and infrastructure, and the changes will not have any impact on customers, other than positive benefits that should flow from a better governed water and sewerage utility.
Changes are also specific to Central Coast Council and do not affect other councils or local water utilities across the state.
The Bill comes off the back of the 2022 Public Inquiry into Council which included widespread public consultation and a departmental review into the its water utility legislative and regulatory framework in 2023.
The government says the changes align with stakeholder feedback, as well as the review’s findings and recommendations to simplify the framework and make it more efficient.
The Bill: removes Council as a water supply authority under the Water Management Act; aligns the regulation of Council’s water supply and sewerage services more closely with the regulatory framework which applies to all other councils; retains IPART as the regulator of Council’s water supply and sewerage service prices to ensure adequate oversight of Council’s pricing and ensure fees stay fair for local residents; and exempts Council from unnecessary and inefficient restrictions on money transfers between the water supply fund and the sewerage fund, to improve effective management of cash flow and debt funding.
The Bill also commits to protect the Coast’s water utility from privatisation by repealing the Central Coast Water Corporation Act and Central Coast Water Corporation Regulation.
This will ensure Central Coast water remains in the hands of our community.
Minister for Water Rose Jackson said the Bill would give residents greater confidence that their water services were being properly managed.
Minister for the Central Coast and Member for Wyong David Harris said it would also give Council more clarity to efficiently go about its job of serving residents, businesses and customers.
“Importantly, the Bill protects our water utility on the Central Coast from privatisation to ensure water and sewerage remains in the hands of our Council and our community, which is great news for everyone,” he said.
The question must be asked “Is Council the appropriate operator for the 3rd largest water management entity in NSW?
After a 50%+ increase in the last 4 years, the Coast now has the most expensive water out of the big 3 ( Sydney, Hunter and Central Coast Water ) and Council softening rate payers up to pay even more.
What actual benefits do ratepayers receive by owning this infrastructure?