Annual SACOSS Briefing to the Minister: Issues Affecting South Australian Water Consumers

The SACOSS 2023 annual briefing on water pricing issues affecting South Australian consumers.

The briefing provides evidence that:

• There is a widening inequality in water pricing for customers on the SA Water network and those outside its network. The gap in the application of the Government’s state-wide pricing policy can no longer be ignored and requires urgent reform.
• There is a lack of transparency in how Community Service Obligations (CSOs) are applied and distributed across South Australia.
• The longstanding water debt situations at Umoona and Yarilena point to systemic failures in consumer protections and require a sustainable solution to meet social and public health obligations.
• The economic conditions underpinning the current SA Water regulatory process for 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2028 are in sharp contrast to those of the previous regulatory determination (from 1 July 2020 – 30 June 2024), putting significant upward pressure on water pricing. Every effort will be needed to ensure that South Australian water consumers pay no more than is necessary under the next regulatory period.
• Outside of the SA Water regulatory process, additional social policy support will be required to lessen the cost-of-living impact on renters and people on low-incomes, who are least able to absorb even small increases in costs.  

Download: Annual SACOSS Briefing to the Minister: Issues Affecting South Australian Water Consumers