The report, media release and associated pages published on 10 December 2024 contained incorrect data about Greater Western Water’s Utility Relief Grant application and approval rates.
The report, media release and pages were republished with updated data on 16 December 2024. The media release was further updated on 19 December 2024 due to incorrect annual customer water bill values for owner-occupier customers of Greater Western Water (Table 1).
We apologise for these errors.
The Essential Services Commission has today released its Water Performance Report 2023–24. Key findings show higher water bills across Victoria, increased water usage, and more opportunities for water businesses to support customers seeking financial hardship support.
The report reveals water bills across Victoria increased in 2023–24, with a typical owner-occupier’s bill going up by $42 to $986 in metropolitan Melbourne and by $93 to $1,217 in regional Victoria.
Key drivers of increased bills include high annual inflation and increased water usage (an average increase of 4.2 per cent across the state) brought on by a drier year than 2022–23.
See Table 1 below for a breakdown of bill changes for each Victorian water business.
Essential Services Commission Chairperson Gerard Brody said higher bills alongside general cost-of-living pressures led to an increase in customers seeking financial hardship support.
“The data shows us more customers needed help to pay their water bills in 2023–24. Although some businesses performed well, I encourage all businesses do more to prioritise hardship support.”
See Table 2 and Table 3 below for a breakdown of hardship grants provided by water businesses.
Five regional water businesses placed restrictions on a total of 169 customers’ water services as a measure of last resort for unpaid water bills. This is the first year such restrictions were imposed since the practice was ceased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Water Industry Standards prohibit water businesses from commencing legal action or taking steps to restrict service against customers receiving any form of payment difficulty support.
“Any Victorian water customer who is struggling to pay their bills should talk to their water business as soon as possible. Victorian water businesses are obligated to provide additional help to customers who are experiencing financial hardship.
“This includes informing customers about the availability of financial support like Utility Relief Grants and financial hardship grants, and helping customers to apply for them,” Commissioner Brody said.
Note: Data for Greater Western Water owner-occupier customer bills was updated on 19 December 2024 due to incorrect data originally published in this table (Table 1).
Table 2: Utility relief grant scheme in 2023–24 (residential customers) ($, nominal)
Number of grants initiated
Number of grants approved
Percentage of grants initiated that are approved
Average value of grant paid
Grants approved per 100 customers
Greater Western
6,264
5,630
90%
$284
0.97
South East
8,965
7,860
88%
$282
1.02
Yarra Valley
20,393
19,963
98%
$206
2.40
Barwon
1,770
1,603
91%
$296
0.95
Central Highlands
1,557
1,409
90%
$324
1.92
Coliban
1,404
1,300
93%
$344
1.74
East Gippsland
536
527
98%
$256
2.30
Gippsland
1,770
1,569
89%
$333
2.23
Goulburn Valley
825
794
96%
$321
1.39
GWMWater
331
304
92%
$350
1.09
Lower Murray
525
283
54%
$364
0.90
North East
1,785
1,697
95%
$270
3.31
South Gippsland
537
484
90%
$292
2.52
Wannon
298
252
85%
$353
0.65
Westernport
405
394
97%
$267
2.25
Statewide
47,365
44,069
93%
$254
1.55
Source: Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (Note: data for Greater Western Water updated 16 December 2024. Statewide totals and averages have also been updated accordingly.)
