Gippsland Water absorbs costs for ninth straight year to keep bills stable

Gippsland Water customer bills will remain below the inflation rate for a ninth consecutive year, helping to reduce cost-of-living pressures across the region.  

From 1 July, a typical customer bill will increase by 2.8%, well below the current inflation rate of 4.1%, also representing the lowest bill increase of all Victorian water corporations. 

Managing director Sarah Cumming said the ongoing focus on affordability and value for money had delivered stable and falling bills year on year for nearly a decade.  

“We’ve absorbed some of the rising costs through prudent financial management, so customers aren’t carrying the full impact of increased costs out of our control, like the economic regional transition,” Ms Cumming said. 

“We’ve developed and invested in our own unique approach to drive financial management in every decision we make. 

“We make sure our investments make sense for our customers financially and ultimately through delivering long-term resilience of our systems and ensuring we can maintain good levels of service.” 

Ms Cumming said Gippsland Water’s focus on efficiency realisation has seen the organisation defy the industry trends. 

“While water bills are trending upwards in other areas across the state, we’ve been able to defy that trend,” Ms Cumming said.  

“We have done this by making investment decisions that have the right return on investment.  

“We’ve realised efficiencies through significant energy cost reductions, moving our fleet to electric vehicles where it makes sense, chemical use optimisation and asset renewal investment. 

“Other major efficiency initiatives include our commercial business operations, which provide significant savings to the business by avoiding additional wastewater treatment costs.” 

Ms Cumming said the organisation planned for the long-term to look after customers and the services provided, now and into the future. 

“Long-term planning is part of our strategy to keep bills steady for longer and provide customers with exceptional services at a reasonable price,” Ms Cumming said. 

“We understand some customers are doing it tough, and we offer support for those experiencing financial difficulty with a range of flexible payments options.” 

Gippsland Water’s customer care team can provide free and confidential assistance on 1800 050 500. 

For more information on financial support and flexible payment plans, visit www.gippswater.com.au/customercare.