Our annual water performance report compares the performance of Victoria’s urban water businesses against each other.
Water performance reports
Overview
19 December 2024: On 10 December 2024 the commission published the following pages associated with the Water Performance Report 2023-24:
- Water performance reports
- Water performance dashboard
- Media release: Annual water performance report details more support for customers facing financial hardship.
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.
We compare trends in performance over time in a number of key areas. Our report aims to:
- inform customers about their water business
- provide incentives for water businesses to improve their performance.
Following the end of each financial year, businesses collate their performance data and send it to us. We request comments from businesses to explain significant changes in their performance and include these in our report.
Normally the data businesses provide us is independently audited, however for our 2019–20 reporting, we removed this requirement to lower the regulatory burden placed on businesses, allowing them to focus more closely on supporting customers during the pandemic.
We resumed our audit program in 2021 which included an audit of 2019–20 data.
We’re required to undertake performance reporting by the Water Industry Regulatory Order 2014, in accordance with our performance reporting framework and our regulatory audit guidelines.
For each reporting year, you can find:
- our annual performance report
- our new interactive water performance report dashboard
- a data spreadsheet
- the definitions for our performance indicators.
Latest performance report and interactive dashboard
10 December 2024, amended 16 December 2024
This report summarises the performance of 15 urban water businesses across key indicators for 2023-24.
We became aware of an error in the Utility Relief Grant data for Greater Western Water included in the Water Performance Report 2023-24 released on 10 December 2024. We have amended this error and updated the report on 16 December 2024.
(pdf, 1.84 MB)
Key findings from the 2023-24 report
Water bills increased
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 brought on by a drier year than 2022–23.
Victorians used more water
In 2023-24 Victorian annual household water consumption increased by 4.2 per cent. In Metropolitan areas consumption increased by 2.9 per cent, and in regional areas consumption increased by 7.8 per cent.
More customers needed help to pay their water bills
Victorians continue to be impacted by cost-of-living pressures.
Overall, more customers received state government funded Utility Relief Grants, had concessions applied to their water accounts and entered into flexible payment plans. However, fewer customers received hardship grants from their water business.
Differences in customer approval rates for Utility Relief Grants indicate varying levels of assistance provided by water businesses. Businesses with lower application and approval rates should explore ways to improve customer access to these grants.
All performance reports
On 1 July 2021, City West Water and Western Water integrated to form the business Greater Western Water. For our report we have combined City West Water and Western Water’s historical data to form Greater Western Water’s historical data.
2023-24 water performance report
10 December 2024
This report summarises the performance of 15 urban water businesses across key indicator areas for 2023-24.
We amended this report on 16 December 2024.
(pdf, 1.84 MB)
10 December 2024
This summary contains the data that forms the basis for our tables and charts in our 2023-24 water performance report.
(xlsx, 393.54 KB)
2022-23 water performance report
12 December 2023
This report summarises the performance of 15 urban water businesses across key indicator areas for 2022-23.
(pdf, 2 MB)
12 December 2023
This supplement provides a profile on each urban water business's performance for 2022-23.
(pdf, 1.5 MB)
2021-22 water performance report
28 February 2023
This report summarises the performance of 15 urban water businesses across key indicator areas for 2021-22.
(pdf, 1.44 MB)
28 February 2023
This supplement provides a profile on each urban water business's performance for 2021-22.
(pdf, 1.47 MB)
2020-21 water performance report
8 February 2022
This report summarises the performance of 16 urban water businesses across key indicator areas for 2020-21.
(pdf, 2.03 MB)
8 February 2022
This summary contains the data that forms the basis for our tables and charts in our 2020-21 water performance report.
(xlsx, 406.88 KB)
2019-20 water performance report
9 December 2020
This report summarises the performance of 16 urban water businesses across key indicator areas for 2019-20.
(pdf, 2.27 MB)
9 December 2020
This summary contains the data that forms the basis for our tables and charts in our 2019-20 water performance report.
(xlsx, 419.06 KB)
2018-19 water performance report
10 December 2019
This report summarises the performance of 16 urban water businesses across key indicator areas for 2018-19.
(pdf, 3.06 MB)
10 December 2019
This summary contains the data that forms the basis for our tables and charts in our 2018-19 water performance report.
(xlsx, 425.53 KB)
10 December 2019
This supplement provides a fact sheet on each urban water business’s performance in 2018-19.
(pdf, 1.48 MB)
23 August 2019
Customer Service Benchmarking Australia (CSBA) independently benchmarks the call centre performance of Victorian water businesses each financial year. Find out how each water business scored for its customer service in 2018-19.
(pdf, 620.27 KB)
2017-18 water performance report
10 December 2018
This report summarises the performance of 16 urban water businesses across key indicator areas for 2017-18.
(pdf, 1.69 MB)
10 December 2018
This supplement provides a fact sheet on each urban water business’s performance in 2017-18.
(pdf, 1.4 MB)
10 December 2018
This summary contains the data that forms the basis for our tables and charts in our 2017-18 water performance report.
(xlsx, 399.85 KB)
10 December 2018
Detail on the 100 major projects that Victorian urban water businesses proposed to deliver between 2013-14 and 2017-18.
(pdf, 735.24 KB)
2016-17 water performance report
1 March 2018
This report summarises the performance of 16 urban water businesses across key indicator areas for 2016-17.
(pdf, 1.93 MB)
1 March 2018
This supplement provides a fact sheet on each urban water business’s performance in 2016-17.
(pdf, 1.34 MB)
1 March 2018
This summary contains the data that forms the basis for our table and charts in our 2016-17 water performance report.
(xlsx, 401.1 KB)