17 February 2021
Goulburn Valley Water customers received one of the lowest typical water bills, according to a recently released statewide report.
The Essential Services Commission Water Performance Report 2019-20 showed a typical GVW owner-occupier customer paid on average $907, while there was a state-wide average water bill decrease of $24.
Customers in Goulburn Valley Water’s region used the second highest amount of water in the state on average (261kL compared to the state-wide average of 157kL), but water usage still dropped by 9%, likely as a result of increased autumn rainfall last year.
The report noted a slight increase in customers on instalment plans and hardship payments offered, while 480 utility relief grants were approved.
GVW Managing Director Steve Capewell said the customer assistance team had been proactively working with customers to let them know about support options available.
“We understand there will be significant ongoing economic impacts from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and we’re committed to supporting our customers in ways that suits their needs,” Dr Capewell said.
“We encourage people who may need assistance with their water bill to call us on 1300 360 007 to see how we can help – whether that may be payment extensions, applications for relief grants or payment plans.”
The report also showed reliability of GVW’s network continued to improve, with customers experiencing water supply interruptions of about 11 minutes on average, compared to the state-wide average of 22 minutes.
It also noted GVW delivered the largest amount of recycled water in regional Victoria at 7,401 ML, and about 88% was reused for irrigation on 26 farms.
The ESC also noted that customers received enhanced support during the pandemic, with fewer experiencing water restrictions or legal action over debt, in line with support actions delivered by all water authorities.
The full report and key findings are available at: https://www.esc.vic.gov.au/water/sector-performance-and-reporting/water-performance-reports