Water bills are on the rise as the Essential Services Commission confirm new prices
Victorians are in for a double whammy with water and electricity bills to jump — here’s how much more extra you’ll be paying.
Victoria
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Melburnians will fork out an average $10 more per year for water bills, while those in regional Victoria will face an average annual rise of $45.
Victorian customers of energy giant AGL will also be slugged an average of $80 more per year, or 5.6 per cent extra, for electricity from August 1.
But AGL won’t change its gas prices here.
The Essential Services Commission will on Thursday confirm new pricing for the state’s 18 water businesses.
Last year, prices went down, but this year they will increase because of inflation, adding to cost-of-living pressures.
People in Melbourne will only cop a small increase because bulk water charges have fallen and less desalinated water will be ordered this financial year.
ESC pricing director Marcus Crudden said prices could fluctuate.
“Your average water bill goes up or down every year based on a number of factors, including how much water you use, inflation, and how much your water business spends on maintaining infrastructure and services,” he said.
Mr Crudden said water businesses had done a better job of providing support to customers struggling to pay over the past couple of years.
AGL on Wednesday announced its market offers for Victoria, which revealed an average price increase of $80 per year.
Other big players such as EnergyAustralia and Origin Energy are yet to announce their new prices.
Origin has announced prices for other states, but not Victoria.
Smaller retailers, who are more exposed to rising wholesale costs, are expected to increase prices by a greater amount and some have even urged their customers to switch to bigger suppliers.
About 85 per cent of AGL’s Victorian electricity customers are on a market offer, which is often cheaper, but can fluctuate more regularly.
They will pay on average $80 extra plus GST per year.
The remaining 15 per cent of customers are on the Victorian default offer.
St Vincent de Paul policy and research manager Gavin Dufty said an all-electric house could be facing a bill increase of $150 per year.
He said AGL did not have the cheapest rates, which could account for a less severe price increase.
Victorians appear to be getting off lightly, with AGL customers in New South Wales set to pay on average, an extra $300 or 17.5 per cent per year.
Prices for Origin residential electricity customers on a variable tariff will be up an average of 14.4 per cent or $268 in NSW, 13.7/$223 in Queensland, 10.4/$180 in South Australia and 18/$388 in ACT.
Origin natural gas customers, on variable rates in NSW will pay an extra 9.4 per cent/$85 a year; Queensland up 9.6/$69; South Australia 10.4/$108; ACT up 8.1 /$123.
AGL said it carefully considered its price changes in light of the default offers and its own cost movements.
“Any decision to change prices is based on a detailed consideration of a range of factors, including wholesale prices, network changes and market conditions and the value we offer to our customers,” AGL said.
It urged customers to seek out payment and support options.
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