State Water wants to increase water charges by as much as 1200 per cent starting next financial year to stop its finances slipping into a drought-induced revenue shortfall.
Usage and fixed costs on 10 major NSW river systems would go up from July, 2010, and the State’s irrigators could be asked to pay millions of extra dollars.
The water authority also wants to increase usage charges by between 90 cents a megalitre and $345/Ml on the Border, Gwydir, Namoi, Peel, Lachlan, Macquarie, Murray, North Coast, Hunter and South Coast regulated river systems.
A State Water report noted an $83.2 million revenue shortfall in the past four years, $56m of this because the drought stopped many operators using water and paying charges.
Full story in The Land, December 10.
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