ID :
28981
Fri, 11/07/2008 - 19:16
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/28981
The shortlink copeid
Melbourne water bills set to rise
Melbourne residents' water bills will almost double over the next five years as city dwellers begin to share the cost of the drought.
Bills will rise between 87 per cent and 97 per cent by 2013, according to price proposals released on Friday by Melbourne's three water authorities.
The average household water bill will hit about $1,000 a year to help pay for major water projects across the state. "We've been quite upfront about this. We've said you can't have a record investment
in vitally important water infrastructure projects without paying for it," Water Minister Tim Holding said.
From July 1, water charges will rise between 18 and 19 per cent, adding up to $1.45 a week to the average residential water bill.
The higher charges will go towards paying for major drought-busting projects, including a $3 billion desalination plant on Victoria's southeast coast and a $2 billion upgrade of irrigation systems in the Goulburn Murray food bowl. Mr Holding on Friday played down fears the commonwealth could renege on a deal to fund half of the food bowl project as a $40 billion hole in the federal budget threatens to derail funding for other major state infrastructure projects.
"We don't anticipate any change to those funding arrangements. We'd expect them to
honour those commitments," he said.
The Victorian government may need to scale back a major transport infrastructure
plan, expected to be revealed within weeks, amid uncertainty over securing federal
money.
A decision on water restrictions over summer is also expected in coming weeks.
The government is reviewing stage 3a water bans, due to expire on November 30, as
Melbourne endures one of the driest springs on record.
Mr Holding gave a strong indication on Friday that the government would hold off on
tough stage four restrictions, which would ban outdoor watering and cripple the
nursery and carwash industries.
"Let's make it clear, shifting to stage four is a big decision for Melbourne to
take. It won't be taken lightly," he said.
Reservoirs were on Friday at 33.7 per cent of capacity, down from their levels of
the same time last year.
Mr Holding said moving to stage four water curbs would have "significant impacts for
communities".
"We're considering, obviously, all of the available information, the state of the
reservoirs, the outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology into the future, and we'll
take a balanced decision that safeguards the interests of Melbourne and our
catchments and water reserves."
Bills will rise between 87 per cent and 97 per cent by 2013, according to price proposals released on Friday by Melbourne's three water authorities.
The average household water bill will hit about $1,000 a year to help pay for major water projects across the state. "We've been quite upfront about this. We've said you can't have a record investment
in vitally important water infrastructure projects without paying for it," Water Minister Tim Holding said.
From July 1, water charges will rise between 18 and 19 per cent, adding up to $1.45 a week to the average residential water bill.
The higher charges will go towards paying for major drought-busting projects, including a $3 billion desalination plant on Victoria's southeast coast and a $2 billion upgrade of irrigation systems in the Goulburn Murray food bowl. Mr Holding on Friday played down fears the commonwealth could renege on a deal to fund half of the food bowl project as a $40 billion hole in the federal budget threatens to derail funding for other major state infrastructure projects.
"We don't anticipate any change to those funding arrangements. We'd expect them to
honour those commitments," he said.
The Victorian government may need to scale back a major transport infrastructure
plan, expected to be revealed within weeks, amid uncertainty over securing federal
money.
A decision on water restrictions over summer is also expected in coming weeks.
The government is reviewing stage 3a water bans, due to expire on November 30, as
Melbourne endures one of the driest springs on record.
Mr Holding gave a strong indication on Friday that the government would hold off on
tough stage four restrictions, which would ban outdoor watering and cripple the
nursery and carwash industries.
"Let's make it clear, shifting to stage four is a big decision for Melbourne to
take. It won't be taken lightly," he said.
Reservoirs were on Friday at 33.7 per cent of capacity, down from their levels of
the same time last year.
Mr Holding said moving to stage four water curbs would have "significant impacts for
communities".
"We're considering, obviously, all of the available information, the state of the
reservoirs, the outlook from the Bureau of Meteorology into the future, and we'll
take a balanced decision that safeguards the interests of Melbourne and our
catchments and water reserves."
