With the Hunter region’s population set to increase to one million by 2050, Hunter Water have announced that over the next ten years they will invest $1.1 billion into better infrastructure to support this growth. According to Minister for Primary Industries, Lands and Water Niall Blair, Hunter Water needs to be planning now, if the region is to see the population reach a million.

 

Hunter Water will spend $40 million on the Grahamstown Water Treatment Plant to cope with future demand, which could be 47 billion litres of water annually over the next 10 years.

In Maitland $48 million will be invested in expanding the Farley Wastewater Treatment Works to allow for 8,000 new homes in Rutherford, Lochinvar and Aberglasslyn. $15 million will be spent as part of the Dungog Wastewater Treatment Works expansion.

 

While investing in new and improved infrastructure, Hunter Water Managing Director Kim Wood has said they are committed to keeping their average water bill among the cheapest in Australia,

“Over the next four years I expect Hunter Water’s customers will see no increase in their bill above the rate of inflation, which is just 49 cents per week. If you remove the impact of inflation, the typical water bill will actually decrease over the next four years.”

 

The 10-year infrastructure program is detailed in Hunter Water’s 2016-20 price submission to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal, in which the utility has recommended household water prices rise by no more than inflation.

 

Water and Sewerage Spending by State Electorate

Electorate	10 year forecast	Flagship project
Cessnock	$72,266,137	Kurri Kurri Wastewater Treatment Works expansion - $6.8m
Charlestown	$51,765,947	Water upgrades - $7m
Lake Macquarie	$170,673,613	Wyee Sewer Scheme - $29.9m
Maitland	$205,448,813	Farley Wastewater Treatment Works expansion - $47.9m
Newcastle	$228,496,577	Farley Wastewater Treatment Works expansion - $47.9m
Port Stephens	$259,838,797	Raymond Terrace Wastewater Treatment Works expansion - $62.6m
Swansea	$48,913,864	Swansea Channel water pipeline - $3.5m
Upper Hunter	$54,134,782	Dungog Wastewater Treatment Works expansion - $15m
Wallsend	$65,709,461	Jesmond wastewater system expansion - $5.7m

  

Hunter Water’s proposed 2016-20
Pricing Period charges for a house using 185 kilolitres annually

	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	Per week increase
Water and Sewer bill	$1,069.09	$1,086.65	$1,112.51	$1,141.06	$1,170.52	$0.49
% Change on previous year	Current	1.6%	2.4%	2.6%	2.6%

 

Growth projections for Lower Hunter

	2015	2020	2025	2030	2035	2040	2045	2050
Population	549,041	598,141	651,663	709,909	773,396	842,561	917,911	1,000,000
Dwellings	224,210	238,760	253,310	267,860	282,410	296,960	311,510	326,060