Adelaide’s water is the most expensive of all Australian mainland capital cities, analysis shows.
For water supply charges and cost of water, analysis by The Advertiser shows Adelaide residents are paying more than their interstate counterparts, prompting concerns from SA Water’s customer council that prices are rising unchecked.
And while the State Government and SA Water have attributed recent water price hikes on the $1.8 billion desalination plant, three other cities with desalination plants - Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane - have not suffered the same cost blow-outs.
In June, the Government announced a 60 per cent increase in water supply charges and a 50 per cent increase in the base water price. All residents pay the supply charge, which in South Australia is $234.60, compared with Sydney residents, who pay $144, Perth $186 and Brisbane $167.
Water rates in SA are up to double interstate prices.
Water in SA costs $2.75 a kilolitre above 30kl, and jumps to $2.98 above 125kl. Sydney caps its water at $2.10/kl. Melbourne residents pay about $1.70 for up to 160kl, Brisbane $2.18 for the first 255kl, and Perth a maximum of $1.58 for up to 500kl.
Victoria does not separate its sewerage and service charges, but the cost of supplying the average SA usage of 190kl in Melbourne would be between $426 and $519, compared with $659 in SA.
SA Water customer council chair Jon Lamb said the council was “very concerned” about rising prices.
“We have made it very clear to SA Water and the Government that a very high priority is that our water prices should be competitive with other states,” he said.
Mr Lamb said SA Water was paying for the “Rolls Royce” of desalination plants, but was hopeful prices would plateau once the independent regulator took over pricing in 2013.
Opposition Leader Isobel Redmond said water prices added to cost pressures felt by South Australians. “Since Labor came to power in 2002 the base cost of water has risen by 408 per cent,” she said.
Water Minister Paul Caica said: “The Government is investing heavily in projects to diversify and secure the state’s water supply and the fixed service availability charge reflects the cost of installing and having available the associated water infrastructure.”
